Hiopos Lleida broke their bad streak with a victory of enormous value against Tenerife by 103 to 101 in Barris Nord, a triumph that came after seven consecutive defeats and that leaves the Lleida team with a three-victory margin over relegation.
Gerard Encuentra's team turned around a game that seemed lost in the final stretch. With six minutes remaining, the scoreboard reflected a 76 to 88 in favor of the Canarian team. The local reaction was immediate and forceful. Hiopos closed the game with a 27 to 13 run to turn the result around in a maximum tension finish.
A start conditioned by Huertas
Tenerife set the pace from the start. Marcelinho Huertas scored his team's first six points and closed the first quarter with 10, in a final sequence of 2 to 13 that took the score to 19 to 28.
Hiopos Lleida tried to react in the second period. A 7-0 run brought the locals closer to 31-33 and forced Vidorreta to stop the game. The visiting team's response was immediate again with an 8-0 run that stretched the difference again to 31-41.
Before the break, a three-pointer by Batemon left it 42 to 51 and cut the maximum visitor lead, which had reached 12 points.
The Lleida team did not let go of the match
After passing through the locker rooms, two dunks by Diagne brought Hiopos closer to 48-53. Despite this, Tenerife opened up a gap again and reached 52-63 in the third quarter. In that stretch, with Walden nicked and Dani Garcia limited by fouls, debutant Adrià Rodríguez entered the rotation.
The Lleida team had an option to get within three with 64 to 70, but Paulí missed from the three-point line. In the following play, an Abromaitis two-plus-one made it 64 to 73. The third period ended with 69 to 75 after a new reaction driven by Batemon.
Ejim opened the last quarter with a three-pointer for 72 to 75, although Tenerife struck again with three almost consecutive three-pointers that restored the maximum lead of 12 points with 76 to 88.
Ejim and Batemon led the comeback
The comeback of Hiopos Lleida was built from resistance. In the last three minutes, the contribution of Ejim and Batemon left the clash at 89 to 92. Shortly after, with 91 to 94, a foul called on Ejim also ended with a technical foul on Encuentra. Huertas converted the free throw for 91 to 95.
Far from sinking, the home team responded immediately. Batemon nailed a three-pointer for 94 to 95 and Dani Garcia tied with another outside shot for 97 to 97 with 1.40 remaining. In the decisive stretch, Abromaitis missed two free throws and that sequence gave air to the Lleida squad.
Batemon then scored to put Hiopos ahead for the first time since the first quarter with 98 to 97. Then, Ejim converted two free throws for 100 to 99 with 31 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Batemon stole the ball from Huertas and that action allowed Ejim to extend the lead with 102 to 99 with 15.2 seconds.
Mills still cut it to 102 to 101 with eight seconds left to play. Batemon went to the line, missed one of his free throws and left it 103 to 101 with six seconds from the close. On the last play, Abromaitis received alone under the basket, but did not make the shot that would have sent the game to overtime.
A decisive performance at a key moment
Ejim was the great reference of Hiopos Lleida with 29 points and 39 valuation, numbers that also place him as the best player of the day in the ACB. Batemon accompanied with 21 points, a good part of them after halftime and at the moment when the game demanded more accuracy and personality.
The victory has a double weight for the Lleida team. It serves to stop a very delicate dynamic and also arrives in a context marked by the already confirmed renewal of Encuentra. In Barris Nord, Hiopos found a night of relief when it needed it most and clings to it to face the final stretch with a little more margin.