The Lleida team approaches its debut in the modern Valencian pavilion, considered one of the best on the continent, without holding anything back, despite the physical strain and having a more manageable match against Baxi Manresa scheduled for Sunday, February 8 at Barris Nord. Valencia Basket is highly competitive, although Unicaja de Málaga already proved they are not unbeatable at home, winning 70-76 in round 15.
“"We are obviously aware of the difficulty of this game due to the characteristics of the opponent, especially playing at their home, but in this league, every game is a different story and anything can happen."
For the attempt to assault the Valencian stronghold, coach Gerard Encuentra will be without two key players: center György Golomán, due to an ankle sprain, and power forward Melvin Ejim, for personal reasons. Furthermore, the participation of center Cameron Krutwig, who rejoined group training this week, is also doubtful.
Despite the absences, the Lleida side arrives in great form, having won their last three games, including a narrow 73-72 victory against direct relegation rival San Pablo Burgos. This win allowed them to climb to tenth position, five wins above the relegation zone.
The team's recent success is largely attributed to the stellar performance of James Batemon, who recorded 30 points and a 33 valuation score last Saturday, earning him the Player of the Week award for Round 17. The American guard is the fifth-highest scorer in the competition (16.9 points per game).
