Al Dénia Básquet SUMA Senior Men 1 Nacional The combination of results from the last day of the regular competition led them to face El Pilar from Valencia in the round of XNUMX tie for promotion to the EBA League.
The Valencians were the best team of the 28 that made up the category this course. They finished first in group A with only three defeats in the twenty-six rounds played, compared to five in La Vila in Group B, with two games played less also due to the withdrawal of Benifaió.
This made them favorites to overcome not only this first crossing, but also to stand in the final four in June where the three category promotions will be decided definitively.
However, in sports the forecasts are not always fulfilled and the players of Eduardo Clavero and Pascual Miralles did their best to make it so. A simply spectacular start to the game surprised their rival, whom they clearly beat at the end of the first quarter (23-9).
A full pavilion supported the team in each play and carried it on the wings to try to achieve the beautiful goal of reaching the second game with options.
It was clear that it was not going to be that easy and that sooner or later, El Pilar would react showing his true level. But the truth is that the Dianenses began the second period in the same dynamics and the only thing they achieved with their improvement was that the advantage did not grow.
Only in the closing stages of the first half did they manage to drop below a 10-point difference (33-25) with a final three-pointer.
Those of Dénia began to suffer in the rotation when in the second part to the problems of personal fouls, some to make them value the referees, and the casualties due to physical problems for this meeting of Bernat Sanz and Jordi Ruíz, were added the injuries of Joan Roselló and Pablo Castera.
El Pilar loaded the rebound in the third quarter and increased his defensive intensity. Already involved in the dynamics of the match, they began to show their true potential, smoothing out a little more the difference that at the end of the period was still four points.
The last 10 minutes followed the same script. El Pilar finally had a reward for his persistence and took the lead for the first time on the scoreboard with five minutes to go.
They even had opportunities at that moment to distance themselves, but we used our weakness to prevent it and we managed to enter the last minute with a point advantage on the scoreboard.
A triple from the Valencians 35 seconds from the end, in an action in which the ball could have previously gone wide, put the final result on the scoreboard (59-61).
Although with five seconds to go, those from Dénia had the last possession to tie or even end up winning, the ball did not want to enter, ending the first game of the series with defeat in a highly disputed and exciting game.
From the Club they appreciate the support of all the fans who gathered in the pavilion and wish a speedy recovery to the injured, among whom there was also a member of the visiting team.
The return match is scheduled for next Sunday, May 14, at 19:00 p.m. in the El Pilar School pavilion in Valencia, where the tie will be decided.
