Unahotels-Manresa 85-70, red and white triumph in the Fiba Champions League

Reggio Emilia, 5 March 2025 – A victory of great quality and equal specific weight on the path towards the conquest ofBcl Quarters for Unahotels. Who contrasts with will and commitment a tough Manresa and beats him thanks to the American trio Barford-Faried-Cheatham, with the collaboration of a positive Winston and the collective contribution of the entire team in defense (the Spaniards average 94 points, on this occasion they were stopped at 70) and aggressiveness. The final margin: fifteen lengths (also achieved by three "bombs" scored at the buzzer of each quarter, a sign of great lucidity) could also be fundamental in view of the return match with the same Baxi and for the overall basket difference. Often fundamental in the European field. Both teams start tense. So errors and uncertainties prevail on good basketball. And as often happens in these cases, the score remains substantially balanced: 11-12 at half time. Reggio counters the opponent's greater incisiveness on loose balls and rebounds with a good "zone" defense and in this way the first quarter ends with the Spanish +4 only by virtue of a naivety by Smith on a guest shot. At the start of the second quarter, net of some very strict whistles from the opponent, the greater energy of Baxi produces its own mini extension, which yields 19-27 after a couple of turns of the clock. However, Unahotels is good at reacting promptly, thanks to a determined Barford. A “bomb” by Winston then allows the red and whites to tie at 4'. Pallacanestro Reggiana then also takes the lead, before the Iberians come back. But they get back there at the buzzer with a conclusion from half court by an indomitable Barford. The inertia gained with that basket is carried by the home team for a good part of the third period, countering with adequate intensity every attempt by the guests, once again also thanks to a competent zone defense, and finding good offensive conclusions from the whole team. All this produces a nice extension of the Priftis troops who at 8' lead 57-48. At the final 10' Smith and his teammates then show up on the wave of two consecutive triples signed by Grant-Smith which produce a deserved, and robust, +14. For a good half of the final quarter Reggio manages to produce a decent game, but Manresa doesn't even think about giving up and with the incisiveness shown throughout the contest they nibble point by point at half time and get closer (70-64). At that point Faried takes the stage under the backboards, Cheatham, a real sniper, and Barford, with baskets and defense, re-establish the distances and close the contest with the maximum advantage, a fundamental added value.

scoreboard

UNAHOTELS: Barford 19, Winston 14, Faye 2, Gombauld 4, Smith 5, Uglietti 4, Vitali 6, Faried 9, Grant 3, Chillo, Cheatham 19. Ne: Gallo. Coach: Priftis. BAXI: Vescovi 7, Jou, Reyes, Massa 8, Steinbergs 6, Sagnia 1, Saint-Supery, Alston 20, Hunt 17, Perez 3, Traorè 5, Cate 3. Coach: Ocampo Referees: Julio Cesar Anaya Freile (Por), Michal Proc (Pol), Carsten Straube (Ger) Partials: 19-23, 41-38, 65-51 Notes: spectators: 2114; 3-pointers: Unahotels 8/25, Baxi 5/24; free throws: Reggio Emilia 25/27, Manresa 11/15.