Breogán wins in Manresa and adds two victories

The Breogán River has proven to be ready to compete in the Liga Endesa from day one. The victory against Manresa at the Nou Congost (95-101) cements an exceptional start to the season for the team led by Luis Casimiro. With two wins in two games, the Galicians have matched a milestone that has only occurred five times in the history of the Lugo club, highlighting the importance of these initial steps in the competition.

A first quarter of comeback

Manresa came out with overwhelming intensity, establishing a very high pace from the start. The Catalans punished every visitor error with quick and precise transitions. Within two minutes, they were already ahead 9-2, forcing Luis Casimiro to call a timeout shortly after when the scoreboard read 14-3. Allen, the local team's offensive leader, scored 10 points in the first quarter, and they led by twelve points at the midway point of the period (21-9).

The response from Breogán was tactical and intelligent. The visiting team decided to close the paint to halt the one-on-one attacks that Manresa executed with ease. The defensive adjustment worked. With Mavra directing the play and scoring simultaneously, the Galicians narrowed the gap to 24-19 by the 8-minute mark. A three-pointer by Francis Alonso in the final minute of the quarter reduced the difference to just one point. Two local free throws closed the first period at 27-24.

The second quarter decides the game

The Breogán continued to struggle with perimeter accuracy (2 of 8 on three-pointers), but their defense improved significantly. A three-pointer from Mavra at the 14-minute mark tied the game (30-30), forcing Diego Ocampo to stop the game. However, Manresa's reaction did not come. With the Croatian point guard directing and Peris and Brown hitting from outside, the Galicians turned the scoreboard (34-39, minute 16).

Defense became the main weapon of the visiting team. Kasibabu, coming off the bench, was particularly important in these defensive duties. Control of the rebound (18-15 in the first half) propelled the visitors. A run of 3-11 in the last minutes of the quarter pushed the score to 37-50, and halftime arrived with a 40-51 lead for the Lucenses. The second quarter was a dominant 13-27. Mavra went to the locker room with 15 points without missing a shot, 8 assists, and a valuation of 28, numbers that already announced his prominence in the day.

Manresa statistics at halftime

The Catalans showed significant offensive difficulties after the first twenty-four minutes. Their three-point percentage was low, and free throws did not go in with regularity, which explained the gap on the scoreboard. Manresa needed significant adjustments for the second half.

The third quarter consolidates the lead

After the break, Manresa tried to react, but their offensive problems persisted. A 25% success rate on three-pointers and 64% on free throws at that point showed a team disconnected on offense. The Breogán extended their lead to 19 points (43-62, minute 23) and continued to punish on the fast break thanks to their dominance on the boards (51-68, minute 26).

A three-pointer from Allen gave some breathing room to the locals, but the Lucenses maintained control of the game (60-78, minute 28). A buzzer-beater three-pointer by Bolton closed the third quarter with the maximum visitor advantage: 67-89, a 22-point difference that seemed definitive. The Breogán had executed solid and efficient basketball, especially in defense and rebounding control.

The fourth quarter without real danger

Manresa tried everything in the final quarter, applying full-court pressure on the ball exit. The Breogán lost fluidity on offense but maintained the distance (76-94, minute 35). A run of 5-0 cut the lead to 13 points (81-94) and forced Casimiro to call a timeout. A 2+1 from Brown and another play from Mavra restored calm to the visitors.

With a Breogán that was too conservative in the closing moments, Manresa strung together penetrations to bring it within ten points (91-101) with 1:35 remaining. The final quarter closed with a 28-12 run that left the result at a misleading 95-101. However, the game had been decided much earlier. The superiority of the Galician team was clear during the thirty-two central minutes, where they displayed quality basketball in both facets of the game.

The victory solidifies the Lucenses in a strong position in the early weeks of the Liga Endesa. With two victories in two games, the Breogán has established a solid foundation to aim for ambitious goals in the competition. Dominik Mavra has emerged as the offensive engine and organizer of the team, while collective defense and rebounding have been decisive factors in this promising start.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Breogán vence en Manresa y suma dos triunfos