Marcelinho Huertas leads Tenerife and continues to break ACB records

Marcelinho Huertas chose the perfect setting to write a new chapter in his career. Against Asisa Joventut, the club where he debuted in the Liga Endesa two decades ago, the Brazilian point guard needed just three points to surpass the legendary Joe Arlauckas in the all-time scoring leaderboard. Not only did he achieve this, but his performance was crucial in the comeback of La Laguna Tenerife, which secured the victory by 80-74 after being behind on the scoreboard.

A balanced start in Barcelona

The first quarter unfolded with both teams vying for control of the game. The canaries and the Barcelonians shared the points relatively evenly, closing the first period with a score of 25-24 in favor of the hosts. Huertas had already demonstrated his scoring ability with seven points, while Laprovittola emerged as the offensive reference for Joventut.

In the second quarter, the landscape changed significantly. La Laguna Tenerife saw its scoring capacity diminish, managing only 14 points in this period, which allowed the Barcelonians to widen the gap on the scoreboard. The Joventut went into halftime with a six-point lead (39-45), taking advantage of Laprovittola's strong performance and the contributions from the perimeter by Eli Ndiaye, who, despite playing with discomfort from an ankle sprain, remained productive on the court.

The defensive turn in the second half

After the break, the team coached by Lakovic implemented significant tactical changes, focusing on a more aggressive and suffocating defense. The canaries accumulated a total of 10 steals during the game and considerably limited the outside shooting of Joventut, which only converted 8 of 29 attempts from three-point range.

With Giorgi Shermadini solidly controlling the paint and Wesley van Beck demonstrating accuracy from beyond the arc, La Laguna Tenerife won the third quarter 21-15 and managed to tie the game at 60-60. This period proved crucial for the course of the match, marking a turning point toward the canary victory.

The closing from the free-throw line

In the final quarter, the canaries exerted almost total control over the game. Joventut was limited to just 14 points in this period, insufficient to counter the visitors' push. La Laguna Tenerife closed out the game relying on free-throw execution, though it was not a flawless task: they missed quite a few opportunities, finishing with a final balance of 19 successes in 32 attempts throughout the match.

Notable performances and final numbers

Huertas finished with 19 points and a rating of 20, confirming his importance in the canary offensive system. His reaching the eighth spot in the scoring history of the Liga Endesa with 7,560 points represents recognition for a career marked by consistency and quality in the Spanish competition.

Van Beck contributed 13 points, showing notable accuracy from three-point range with 4 of 6 on long-distance attempts. Shermadini completed a solid performance with 12 points and 7 rebounds, being fundamental in controlling the interior zone.

For Joventut, Laprovittola was the top scorer with 23 points and 6 assists, also achieving the highest rating of the game with 27 points. His performance was not enough to prevent the Barcelonian team from continuing to accumulate consecutive losses and remaining in the lower part of the standings.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Marcelinho Huertas lidera al Tenerife y sigue reventando récords ACB