Beginning to see the light

Cajasol Seville lost against Regal Barça (68-74) in a very exciting game, plenty of alternatives. In the end, more experienced players like David Andersen and Gianluca Basile hitted decisive shoots to give the win to Barcelona.

I think every fan in Seville went home after the game with different feelings this time. Cajasol played like a team, and it seems that the release of their two american players, Warren Carter and Tyus Edney, replaced by DeJuan Collins and Nik Caner-Medley, was a great decision. Both of them played with heart, fighting every ball, specially the new power forward. DeJuan Collins proved to be a great point guard, and he played very cleverly, although he hasn't trained with the team before the game.

New coach Pedro Martínez is starting to leave his impression on the team. The just defend. It's as simple as that. They start to play starting with a good defense, and then they try to run to score easy baskets. This time they tried to pace the game, with long possessions, because Barça has many players who like to run, such as Navarro or Lakovic, for example, and it would have been crazyness if Cajasol had tried to play like them.

Juanjo Triguero is a new player right now, compared to that one who started the season. He ask the ball, he scores good baskets, he defends, he gets rebounds… He does all the things he's supposed to do. His teammate Dusko Savanovic is also working very well last games. It's great watch him play. He is so much talented, that it's easy to imagine where he could be if he played always motivated. We can't tell the same about Ilic, who doesn't seem to have interest in the game. Can we ask why?

The only problem this time where the outside shoots. Very poor percentage, since Miso and Ellis didn't have their best day. The american player at least always give his best, if not scoring, sure he works on defense, and he will be very important for coach Martínez and his way of playing. Only Michal Ignerksi, after a bad first half, did a good job from outside, and scored some important shoots, only to lose in the end.

Anyway, this match marked a milestone on the road of Cajasol this season. Good job by Martínez and new players is starting to be seen, and for sure with this mentality they will leave last place in the competition. Next match, again in Seville against DKV Joventut, a hard rival with recovered rising star Ricky Rubio, will show how far this team can get this year.

68 – Cajasol (13+19+18+18): Juan Alberto Aguilar (-), Tyrone Ellis (15), Ignerski (19), Nik Caner-Medley (10), Juanjo Triguero (9) -starting five-, DeJuan Collins (4), Pedro Rivero (-), Savanovic (10), Andrés Miso (1), Mile Ilic (-)

74 – Regal FC Barcelona (15+20+15+24): Lakovic (5), Navarro (6), Lubos Barton (-), Ilyasova (14), Daniel Santiago (3) -starting five-, Gianluca Basile (15), David Andersen (15), Fran Vázquez (5), Víctor Sada (4), Roger Grimau (7)