Baskonia returns to the throne after three years

Matchday 2 of the 2026-27 Endesa League has brought a historic return to the top of the table. The Kosner Baskonia, under the direction of Paolo Galbiati, has once again looked down on everyone with an overwhelming performance that reveals serious intentions to compete for the highest honors. The team from Vitoria had not held the first position since April 2023, a nearly three-year hiatus that they now close with authority after accumulating two victories in two matches and the best point differential in the competition.

Baskonia's Dominance Over Girona

The thrashing inflicted on FIATC Girona (118-78) at the Buesa Arena was devastating. Galbiati's team executed high-intensity basketball that left little margin for hope for the visitors. The Girona team, led by Moncho Fernández, managed to hold on in the first quarter with relative success (20-26), with Mac McClung providing a breath of fresh air to the visitor's attack. However, the second period was the turning point. Baskonia unleashed a run of 18-3 sustained by four three-pointers — two from Chris Duarte and two from Márcio Santos — that definitively broke the game. By halftime, the Basques were already leading 54-42, a lead that would mercilessly amplify in the second half.

The second half was a basketball festival. Nine local players reached nine points, an indicator of the offensive depth displayed. Duarte finished with 19 points, leading a collective performance where the distribution of load was the hallmark. Girona arrived in Vitoria after a troubled journey: a storm canceled their flight, forcing them to spend the night in Zaragoza and complete the trip by road. The match started an hour later than planned, but none of this affected the local dominance, which solidified their return to the lead with a difference of +41 points, the largest of the matchday.

Breogán and Madrid Complete the Full Galician Set

The Río Breogán also earned its second consecutive victory by defeating Kids&Us Manresa at the Nou Congost (95-101). This start of two victories in two matches represents a historic milestone for the Lucense club, something that had only been achieved five times before. Dominik Mavra was the architect of the victory with a performance of 22 points, 10 assists, and a valuation of 35, numbers that reflect his dominance on both sides of the court. Luis Casimiro and his men recovered from a daunting initial 21-9 deficit to end up leading by 22 points (67-89), a partial that evidences their capacity for reaction.

Timmy Allen was the highest scorer of the entire matchday with 30 points and a valuation of 35, but his performance was not enough for Manresa to win the game. Breogán has made history as the first team since Baskonia in 2004 to score over 100 points in the first two matchdays, a statistic that underscores the offensive quality displayed by the Galician team.

The Real Madrid completed the full slate of victories, though at the cost of suffering more than expected. The whites needed overtime to defeat Monbus Obradoiro (107-114) in a match that was resolved in the final seconds. The team from Santiago came back from an eleven-point deficit and forced extra time with a three-pointer from Ben Childress with just 16 seconds left (99-99). In overtime, Jaime Pradilla made a decisive three-pointer, while Theo Maledon closed the game with six made free throws, four of which were his own. Maledon concluded with 25 points and a valuation of 38, the best of the day in this regard, accompanied by Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot with another 25 points. Madrid maintains its perfect 2-0 record in the Endesa League, although it holds a concerning 0-3 record in the EuroLeague.

Surprises and Unexpected Twists

The matchday reserved significant surprises that altered the initial forecasts. The UCAM Murcia of Sito Alonso opened its account with a valuable victory against Barça (100-94) in a practically full Palacio de los Deportes. The match was tied at halftime (46-46), and the azulgrana team entered the final quarter ahead (70-73), but Murcia executed a 10-0 run at the beginning of the final period that decisively turned the scoreboard. Jonah Radebaugh (16 points) and Souley Boum led a collective attack, with Jean-Marc Pansa completing his contribution with a double-double. Kevin Punter was the top scorer for Barça with 18 points, insufficient in the first defeat for Aleksandar Sekulic's team, which concluded a week with trips to Dubai, Istanbul, and Murcia.

The Valencia Basket, last season's champion, reacted after losing at home to Lleida in the first matchday. The taronja won at the Príncipe Felipe (82-97) with a spectacular final quarter: 15-31 with a barrage of three-pointers that reached 14 of 21 in the second half. TJ Shorts led with 21 points and 26 in valuation, while Nikola Mirotic (17) and Josep Puerto (16) completed the offensive surge. Casademont Zaragoza led in the first half (39-36) with contributions from Guillem Vives, Gabriel Olaseni, and Justin Jaworski (22 points), but could not contain the champion's display.

La Laguna Tenerife spoiled Txus Vidorreta's league debut at the Martín Carpena against Unicaja, a team the coach led for ten seasons (75-80). An 0-8 run at the beginning of the final quarter left the score at 55-67, and although the Malagueños closed the gap to four points, Jaime Fernández sealed the game. Marcelinho Huertas was the Tenerife beacon with 17 points, 7 assists, and a valuation of 21. Unicaja remains winless after two matchdays.

Away Victories and Coruña Celebrates Its Return

The Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos also won away (81-94) at Barris Nord, which celebrated its 25 years of existence. A final quarter of 27-38 decided the game, with DJ Steward and Chase Audige contributing 20 points each. Gerard Encuentra, coach of Lleida, called the team's disconnection in the last minute "shameful."

The Leyma Coruña experienced an emotional return to the Endesa League by winning at home against Surne Bilbao (104-101) in an epic overtime. With 89-80 a minute and a half from the end, Bilbao executed a 2-11 run capped by a buzzer-beater three-pointer from Darrun Hilliard that forced extra time. In overtime, Alonzo Verge (29 points) and the free throws from Caio Pacheco gave Coruña the victory. Bastien Vautier missed the three-pointer that would have prolonged the battle to another overtime. This was the second overtime of the matchday, both in Galician territory, alongside Madrid's in Sar.

The matchday also saw a notable postponement: the Asisa Joventut-MoraBanc Andorra will be played on October 14, meaning Joventut will arrive at the third matchday without having completed its schedule of matches.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Baskonia vuelve al trono tras tres años