The historic Canarian derby is from Tenerife

Lenovo Tenerife gets into the semifinals after overwhelming its neighbor Gran Canaria

Lenovo Tenerife will play their fifth Copa del Rey semifinal after beating Gran Canaria (89-73), this Friday at the Badalona Olímpic in the third of the quarterfinals, in a historic and unprecedented Canarian cupbearer derby that fell on the side from Tenerife, led by the aurinegros by an inspired Jaime Fernández.

Only in the first quarter (30-25) was the match even. In fact, a 5-0 final run was what allowed Lenovo Tenerife to take that advantage. Until just before, Gran Canaria was well involved in a game from which they left after the second set.

The offensive deployment of Tenerife, led by Jaime Fernández who went to 26 points, allows the Aurinegros to become the third semifinalist of this Cup, following in the wake of Real Madrid and Unicaja. Now he expects a rival, who will come out of the duel between Joventut and Baskonia.

It will be the fifth semifinal for Lenovo Tenerife (Club Baloncesto Canarias), after the games in Gran Canaria 2018, Madrid 2019, Madrid 2021 and Granada 2022. The team coached by Txus Vidorreta, who arrived as a slight favorite for this derby, is on a roll and He more than demonstrated that he is in great shape.

The 'MVP' of the match stood out in attack, Jaime Fernández, seconded by point guard Bruno Fitipaldo or veteran center Giorgi Shermadini. But the Tenerife team was also very good in defense, completely drying up a Nicolás Brussino who arrived as the brand new 'MVP' of February in the Endesa League, and who was left without scoring; 0 points.

Without those points from Brussino, with only John Shurna inspired (and without help), Gran Canaria suffered tremendously. He held out those first 10 minutes, yes, and took the third period (17-20) when he had already lost everything. At key moments, Jaka Lakovic's men did not find their game in any way.

And that in the third quarter they went from 23 (61-38) after a basket by Marcelinho Huertas to 72-58 at the end of the period (which Gran Canaria took 17-20), with a triple by John Shurna who was very inspired and left his 14 down, with a little more hope to fight for the epic comeback.

But, without strength from the Gran Canarias and with a 12-1 run against at the start of the last quarter, the party was completely in Tenerife. Gran Canaria will not be able to repeat the 2016 final, as his performance was light years away from being able to come close to that feat. The unprecedented and historic Canarian derby in the cup is from Tenerife, it belongs to Club Baloncesto Canarias.

DATASHEET.

--RESULT: LENOVO TENERIFE, 89 - GRAN CANARIA, 73 (55-38, at halftime).

---EQUIPMENT.

LENOVO TENERIFE: Fitipaldo (15), Fernandez (26), Doornekamp (2), Cook (8) and Shermadini (12) -- starting quintet--; Abromaitis (2), Rodriguez (2), Gardens (9), Salin (11), Diagne (-) and War (2).

GRAN CANARIA: Benite (6), Albicy (7), Brussino (-), Shurna (18) and Diop (12) --starting five--; Balcerowski (7), Bassas (8), Inglis (2), Slaughter (3), Salvó (8) and Kljajic (-).

-- PARTIALS: 30-25, 25-13, 17-20 and 17-15.

--ARBITROS: Hierrezuelo, Jiménez y Olivares. Sentence eliminated.

-- PAVILION: Badalona Olympic.