Baxi Manresa started the second phase of the U22 League by conceding a significant defeat (65-99) against Real Madrid, which leveraged its physical superiority and talent to secure the first victory on the road to the Final Six. The white team had already established themselves as one of the strongest contenders during the first phase of the competition.
The young players coached by Nacho Juan notably felt the absences of Max Gaspà and Gerard Fernández, who had joined the first team for their trip to Vitoria. Despite this, the Manresa side kept pace during the initial minutes, especially thanks to an accurate Bruno Jekabsons, who quickly scored 7 points.
Real Madrid demonstrated their status as the team to beat, using their physical superiority to break the game open before halftime.
As the game progressed, the loss of physical intensity in the rotations became evident. Despite the efforts of players like Lucas Sánchez, who found gaps in the visiting defense, Real Madrid reached halftime with a 16-point lead. In the second half, the physicality of Ousmane Diarra combined with the talent of Fabian Kayser and Hugo Alonso sealed the outcome, setting the final deficit at 28 points.
Despite the setback, Baxi Manresa is just beginning its journey towards the Final Six, scheduled for May. The top four teams in Group A will qualify directly, while the fifth and sixth placed teams will have to compete in a single-match playoff.
