Hiopos Lleida will remain for one more season in the ACB after defeating Gran Canaria this Sunday by 75 to 72 at Barris Nord. The Lleida team secured mathematical permanence in a game that went from seeming resolved to being decided in the last possession.
Lleida came to lead by 21 points with a 52 to 31 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Canarian team responded with a 10 to 36 run in eight minutes and turned the scoreboard around to 62 to 67. The difference between that local dominance and the final suffering marked a match that ended with a three-pointer by James Batemon with six seconds left.
Hiopos Lleida had a 21-point lead before the visitor's reaction
The start of the match strengthened Gerard Encuentra's team, which had already placed the fight for victory as the key to the clash in the preview. In the first half, Krutwig, Agada, Dani Garcia, and Paulí sustained the local advantage and gave Hiopos Lleida control of the rhythm.
With that momentum, the Barris Nord team opened a gap that reached 52 to 31 with four minutes remaining to close the third quarter. The match seemed on track then for the Lleida team.
Gran Canaria came back to 62 to 67, but Batemon decided with six seconds left
The visitor's reaction changed the script in a very short time. Wong and Metu led Gran Canaria in the last quarter and the island team signed a 10 to 36 run in eight minutes that allowed them to get ahead with 62 to 67.
Hiopos Lleida thus entered a tight finish after having clearly dominated much of the match. In that stretch, Batemon appeared and scored the three-pointer that made it 75 to 72 when only six seconds remained.
Gran Canaria still had the last possession, but Brussino's and Metu's shots did not go in. That close confirmed at Barris Nord the mathematical permanence of Hiopos Lleida in the ACB for next season.