Liga U to kick off the doubleheader in Manresa

After securing its first win of the season, Unicaja Alhaurín de la Torre heads to Catalonia to face Kids&Us Marnesa, one day before its older brothers in the ACB take the court. Mikel Ereño’s team will look to maintain their momentum and earn their first road win in the Liga U. The game, which you can watch on the league’s YouTube channel, will take place at the Pavelló Nou Congost this Friday, the 16th, at 4:00 p.m.

 

A new challenge awaits the Malaga-based team this week in the Liga U. This time, they’ll be visiting Kids&Us Manresa. Ignacio Juan’s team is coming off a bye last weekend, so they’ve had more time to fine-tune and polish their game now that the competition is well underway. Earlier, in their season opener, they defeated Joventut Badalona, while on the second matchday they were unable to secure a win on the road against Obradoiro U22.

 

The Bages team remains true to the style of play it displayed last season: an electric pace on offense followed by a heavy reliance on the three-pointer. The Manresa team ranks third in the league in three-point attempts per game, averaging 32. Their three-point shooting percentage is often a barometer of the team’s performance. In their victory over La Penya, they shot an impressive 37.5%, while in their loss to the Galician team, that number dropped to 25%.

 

Kids&Us Manresa ranks among the top teams in other statistical categories as well. They are third in total rebounds per game, tied with UCAM Murcia Juver at an average of 42 rebounds. Jan Pumarola is the team’s leading contributor in this area, averaging 8.5 rebounds. This figure ranks the center eighth in the league. Defensively, they also stand out in blocks with 4.5 per game, trailing only Burgos Grupo de Santiago.

 

Although not all members of Ignacio Juan’s roster have stood out, three players have started the season a step ahead of the rest and are poised to lead the Manresa team. Lucas Sánchez, who was unable to play in the loss to Obradoiro, had a great season opener, scoring 30 points, dishing out 7 assists, and posting a 37 efficiency rating. Gerard Fernández, who also played only in the victory over Joventut, made his debut with 19 points and a 40% three-point shooting percentage.

 

Of those who have been able to play in both games, Guillem Naspler has gotten off to the best start. The player who was the team’s second-highest-rated last season has not scored fewer than 15 points so far this Liga U season. He’s also averaging 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals, for a total efficiency rating of 16.5.

 

A tie at the historic venue

Unicaja Alhaurín de la Torre already knows what it’s like to play against the Manresa team. The Malaga-based squad faced them twice last season during the first phase of the Liga U. The series ended with one win for each team, both of which went to the home teams.

 

The first matchup, played at the Nou Congost, wasn’t decided until the very end. The Blas Infante squad stayed in the game until the final moments despite trailing by as many as 20 points; ultimately, Ignacio Juan’s team took the win, 85–80. The game in Málaga followed a similar script, although in this case it was Unicaja Alhaurín de la Torre that took control in the final moments to emerge victorious, 88–85.