The 'kill Reyes' Unicaja wins his second Cup

The people from Malaga, after knocking down Barça and Madrid, deprived Tenerife of their first title

Unicaja is the new champion of the Copa del Rey basketball after beating Lenovo Tenerife (80-83) this Sunday at the Badalona Olímpic, in an unprecedented final in the competition in which the people from Malaga signed a great last quarter to seal, as 'giant killer', the second Cup in its history.

The great final duel of this Cup of surprises was even, with many alternatives on the scoreboard and with suspense until that last set, in which the triples and greater success by Unicaja sentenced a Tenerife that was left on the edge of its first Cup , in what was his first final.

With 60-60 on the scoreboard, the last quarter began where Unicaja went further, with the confidence of making baskets easily and taking 'comfortable' leads. And unlike the 'semis' match against Joventut, Tenerife could not come back and the grand final of their golden duo Marcelinho-Shermadini (21 and 20 points) had no prize.

The Copa del Rey de Badalona 2023 belongs to Unicaja. It is for a team that was on one side of the very complicated box and to which few gave any option. But they eliminated the 'viceroy' Barça –the second team with the best record in the Cup-- in the quarterfinals, the 'King' Real Madrid –the team with the most Cups-- in the semifinals and the 'newcomer' Tenerife in the grand final.

Málaga hadn't celebrated something like this since 2005, when they won the title in Zaragoza after beating Real Madrid. That Cup will no longer be solitary, as this one from Badalona will keep him company. A trophy won from abroad, with up to 12 triples, and from the confidence of seeing themselves capable of completing their great Cup in the best of ways, with Tyson Carter (17 points) as 'MVP' of the competition.

Unicaja started well with a 0-7 run to go 5-9 up. It was a duel that despite its equality had some 'crazy' moments of long streaks in favor of one and the other. The biggest was a 14-0 for Tenerife that put them up 53-44 in the third quarter. And from there Unicaja began to row until they turned the scoreboard and the game around. Despite Marcelinho Huertas' triples on the horn, despite Shermadini's dominance in the paint and Jaime Fernández's tackles. Despite this trio, Unicaja imposed its block and its momentum to win.

Kalinoski and Carter began to see the huge hoop, and hit several triples that were key in that comeback that, in the third quarter, led them from their maximum deficit to put the 60-60 with which they dreamed of the title. Dream that came true in a perfect last room for your interests.

A robbery and subsequent dunk by Will Thomas, the triples by Barreiro and Osetkowski who also wanted to join the long-shot party and especially Carter --in his best match in the Cup-- allowed Unicaja to get away to an 8 that was too much distance to save for Lenovo Tenerife, who died on the shore with a triple final by Jaime Fernández that made up the result of this unprecedented final that gives Unicaja its second Copa del Rey.

DATASHEET.

--RESULT: LENOVO TENERIFE, 80 - UNICAJA, 83 (39-37, at halftime).

--EQUIPMENT.

LENOVO TENERIFE: Fitipaldo (3), Salin (7), Cook (3), Doornekamp (3) and Shermadini (20) -- starting quintet--; Fernandez (16), Gardens (21), Abromaitis (3), Rodriguez (-) and War (4).

UNICAJA: Perry (6), Carter (17), Barreiro (8), Kravish (8) and Ejim (3) --starting five--; Kalinoski (14), Diaz (6), Osetkowski (9), Brizuela (7) and Thomas (5).

-- PARTIALS: 16-17, 23-20, 21-23 and 20-23.

--REFEREES: Pérez Pizarro, Jiménez and Calatrava. No deleted.

-- PAVILION: Badalona Olympic.