Hiopos Lleida plays this Saturday at 7:00 PM on the court of Breogán, in Lugo, with an unusual opportunity with three games left in the ACB. A victory would decisively bring them closer to staying up.
The paradox for the Lleida team is that they could mathematically secure their survival tomorrow without the full round having been completed. To achieve this, in addition to winning in Lugo, they would need Burgos to lose to Unicaja and Andorra to fall against Joventut.
Gerard Encuentra's team arrives at the match with a two-win cushion over the relegation zone, which includes Burgos, Gran Canaria, Zaragoza, and Andorra. With only three games left to play, Lleida depends on itself to remain in the Liga Endesa.
Encuentra faces a match in Lugo that could resolve half of their survival
Gerard Encuentra admitted in the preview that a win in Lugo would advance their work significantly towards the goal of survival. The coach also stressed that, at the beginning of the season, he would have signed up for being outside the relegation zone now and with the options to resolve it by their own means.
The Hiopos Lleida coach related that position to the team's limited experience in the ACB. Even so, he considered it positive to reach this final stretch with a margin over their pursuers.
Lleida faces the trip after the 90-81 defeat on Sunday against Bilbao. After that game, the coaching staff has managed the physical load of the squad, and Encuentra expects to have all healthy players available, with one player to be left out due to technical decision.
In the analysis of the rival, the coach warned that he expects a demanding duel against a Breogán that plays fast, excels in three-point shooting, and ranks second in offensive rebounds. Among the names he pointed out are Rodions Kurucs, Francis Alonso, and Keandre Cook.
Luis Casimiro asks to maintain concentration after beating Real Madrid
Breogán arrives at the match after defeating Real Madrid, but their coach has called for competitive continuity. Luis Casimiro, whose contract was renewed until the end of next season, warned that after a great success, everything costs a little more.
Casimiro described Hiopos Lleida as a team with a lot of individual talent and therefore considers them dangerous. He also praised Gerard Encuentra's work and highlighted his connection with the club and the confidence the squad transmits to him.
The Galician team has also moved its roster in recent days. The club incorporated power forward Iván Cruz until the end of the season to recover the condition of four homegrown players after the long-term injury of center Jordan Sakho.
Manresa has already secured salvation and Granada plays another final against Barça
The fight to avoid relegation left a relevant result for several Catalan teams this Friday. Manresa secured their permanence after coming back in Girona with a final partial of 2-14 and winning by 74-79.
The matchday continues today with another duel conditioned by the lower part of the table. At 7:30 PM, Granada hosts Barça and the Andalusian team will be relegated if they do not win, while the Barça team seeks to secure home-court advantage in the play-offs.
For Hiopos Lleida, the combination that would give them mathematical permanence involves winning today at 7:00 PM in Lugo and then waiting for the defeats of Burgos against Unicaja and Andorra against Joventut.