::: Reportajes JM Serrano :::

UNICAJA OF MÁLAGA CHAMPION OF THE 2005 SPANISH KING´S CUP BASKETBALL TROPHY

Text and Photos by: José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Unicaja of Málaga became new Champion of the 2005 Spanish Copa del Rey Trophy after beating Real Madrid 80-76 in a great final match held on March 27th 2005 at the Zaragoza Príncipe Felipe Arena, with an attendance of 10,500 spectators. The squad from Málaga made a superb game, attaining a historical landmark with this title, the first in national competition throughout the club existence. A specially significant victory since Unicaja qualified for this Cup in the last moment and was able to consecutively defeat Etosa Alicante, Pamesa Valencia and Real Madrid in three successive days.

The match began with Unicaja playing full-blast and scoring its two first attacks, while preventing Real Madrid from throwing to score points up to the last second of its two starting ball possessions. But this advantage for Unicaja is short, because all of a sudden Sergio Scariolo, Unicaja´s coach, receives a technical fault and Real Madrid manages to go ahead in the score 6-7.

Louis Bullock is playing plethoric, getting nine points in a row in the twinkling of an eye and Real Madrid takes a little advantage (9-11) until the appearance of Risacher, who starts being decisive in Unicaja´s attack scoring eight points in a short streak of time. The Málaga line-up is more and more involved in the match. Bremer is also beginning to make havoc in Real Madrid defense both through his spectacular three pointers shots and his lightning penetrations to the rival basket breaking his rival defenders´ waists.

Likewise, Fran Vázquez (2´09 cm), as a pure 4, is playing superb on Unicaja´s own paint, capturing a lot of defensive rebounds and above all blocking Real Madrid centers and forwards´ shots from inside the zone and from four and five meters, intimidating very much with his impressive leaping ability and very long arms.

Besides, the ex NBA center Zan Tabak (2´13 cm), acting as a pure 5 is making strenuous efforts to hinder Real Madrid big men ( centers Pat Burke and Felipe Reyes and power forward Antonis Fotsis) from scoring from inside the zone.

This way, Unicaja is clearly up (14-23) at the end of the first quarter and Real Madrid has only been able to score a distant three pointer by Bennett during the five last minutes of it, whilst Unicaja´s onslaughts have proved to be fairly accurate.

The second quarter begins with a showy three pointer made by Bremer which means a 12 points margin for Unicaja (33-19).

Suddenly, Sergio Scariolo puts into effect a tactical variation, introducing Walter Hermann (the best Unicaja man in the two previous games) while Real Madrid attack goes on stuck with the exception of Louis Bullock who desperately tries to keep his team alive by means of his three pointers.


© Copyright José Manuel Serrano Esparza	© Copyright José Manuel Serrano Esparza

Scariolo realizes it and orders Berni Rodriguez, Pepe Sánchez, Bremer and Fran Vázquez a constant and steady very intensive defense on Bullock with the aim of exhausting him. Every time the great scoring player from Real Madrid tries to throw a three pointer, Bremer, Pepe Sánchez and specially Berni Rodríguez (helping one another) fight to the death trying to block it and if Bullock manages to dribble them, Fran Vázquez is waiting for him under Unicaja basket. This, together with the great last minutes impressive attacking display by Jorge Garbajosa in the fourth quarter will be one of the key factors in the final outcome of the match.

This way, Real Madrid attack continues rather bogged down and Unicaja´s lead rises even more when Bremer scores an 8 meters three pointers (33-19).

Unicaja begins to play at an incredibly high level, scoring almost everything and when its lead in the electronic board is 36-22 its field goal percentage is 78´9 % (10 from 13 two point baskets) and 5/6 three pointers.

Bozidar Maljikovic becomes aware of it and orders his players to strongly defend on all the court. From this moment on an attrition war takes place and Real Madrid players fight to the utmost vying for thwarting Unicaja´s attack and reducing the distance in the score as much as possible while half time approaches.

Sonko scores five consecutive points to relive Real Madrid for the time being and Unicaja is being put through his paces. It was impossible to maintain the incredibly effective attacking output of the Malaga squad at every moment, and Sergio Scariolo´s men start to lose some of intensity while Bozidar Maljkovic´s players take the initiative allowing Unicaja to score only two points in four minutes with a 2-9 partial for Real Madrid.

The fight goes on. We´re watching a full-fledged basketball battle between two great teams and half-time arrives with Unicaja leading the match 40-34 and high levels of expectation for the rest of the contest.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Gelabale, taking advantage of his physical talent, scores a jumper which reduces the distance 40-36

This is an important moment of the match. Real Madrid is plucking up courage and approaching in the electronic board.

It´s precisely now when Garbajosa (a bit hidden till now and making defensive tasks above all trying to block Bennett and Sonko´s jumpers from perimeter) reads the actual significance of crunch time and scores five consecutive points.

But Real Madrid don´t give up and carry on exerting a suffocating defensive pressure on Unicaja´s men.

Louis Bullock scores jumper after jumper, mainly three pointers and in the minute 27´ the distance between both squads has been reduced to 51-48 for Unicaja, but Bullock has already reached the 24 points, though Real Madrid play depends excessively on him, and at the same time, the centers of Real Madrid go on being very well defended by Unicaja big men and don´t find ways to score. This limits very much the attacking options of Real Madrid, because Louis Bullock must play as pure guard to look for shooting positions and this will hamper his stamina and jumpers accuracy as minutes go by, a key factor which is being born in mind by Sergio Scariolo, experienced in a thousand battles.

Antonis Fotsis tries to score a couple of three pointers, but very quickly Garbajosa runs to block his shots and the very tall (2´08) Greek international power forward can´t find good shooting positions very well defended by the great Unicaja´s power forward.

Sonko, helped by his enormous physical strength, begins to play one on ones performing jumpers and scoring some points, but Unicaja achieves to keep the lead through its much bigger quantity of players that are being able to score from the scratch (specially Garbajosa, Fran Vázquez, Bremer, Risacher and Berni Rodríguez) while Real Madrid attacking status hasn´t changed at all, id est, an utter dependence on Louis Bullock.

The game becomes even more into a physical battle. Felipe Reyes cannot score points for the defense on him by the mutual helps of Zan Tabak, Fran Vázquez, Garbajosa and Pietrus is indefatigable; Hervelle hasn´t got his day and is not able to score; Pat Burke does his best but in the same way as with his teammate Felipe Reyes, defense on him by Unicaja centers and Garbajosa is ruthless and he has also a lot of difficulties to score.

Bennett has kept a very low figure of points till now (only three), being rather irregular in his performance, and his three pointer jumpers accuracy is not so high as Bullock´s one. But a decisive factor adds to the previously quoted: the need for good scoring positions compels Bullock to play as a guard during many phases of the match and this creates some coordination problems between Bennett and Bullock as well as getting the latter more and more tired on being forced to make both direction and scoring missions.

The struggle becomes increasingly fierce and both teams reach the fourth and last quarter with a very tight 53-52 score for Unicaja.

Stress is more and more unbearable as minutes tick by and the end of the match approaches.

Jorge Garbajosa, because of his all-out efforts constantly leaping trying to block Real Madrid specialists in middle and long distance jumpers (apart from his helps to Unicaja´s centers) is beginning to show signs of weariness and the same happens to Risacher (very active and effective in attack). That´s why Sergio Scariolo decides to substitute them for Walter Hermann and Berni Rodríguez who are given specific scoring orders by the great Italian coach.

Moreover, Berni Rodríguez becomes a very important main character in these decisive twelve minutes of the game, with nine points and a great defense on Louis Bullock.

Sonko and Burke strive to score by dint of physical strength and mettle, but both of them are hamshackled by the resolve of Unicaja defense based on mutual helps.

Walter Hermann and Berni Rodríguez manage to score five quick points and Unicaja takes a bigger advantage (58-52), while Real Madrid is unable to score with Bullock in the bench resting.

With 7 minutes and 44 seconds to go, Bozidar Maljkovic decides to introduce Louis Bullock to try to win the match with his three pointer shots.

Bullock tries a new three point jumper which doesn´t enter inside Unicaja basket, but Bennet captures the offensive rebound scoring two points for Real Madrid.

Unicaja´s following attack ends in defensive rebound for Real Madrid and once more, Bullock takes the reins, makes a lightning penetration, is faulted and scores the subsequent two free throws. 58-54 for Málaga men.

Real Madrid is again approaching Unicaja in the electronic board and everybody is fidgety both players and supporters of both squads on the stands.

After a wrong attack by Unicaja, Real Madrid men desperately look for Bullock, but he makes a hasty enough play and can´t score.

From now on, every attack will be worth its weight in gold.

With 5 minutes and 18 seconds to go, Bullock breaks his defender waist with a feign and takes a personal fault, scoring two new free throws, reducing the distance to only one point (61-60 for Unicaja)

Shortly afterwards, Garbajosa takes control and scores a momentous three pointer. The spiffy Unicaja power forward knows that his shots can be of top paramount importance. 64-60 for Unicaja.

Berni Rodríguez is reding very well the plays and contributes a great deal to the dominance by Unicaja, performing top-notch both defensively and in attack and continues to score points.

Thus, with 2 minutes and 30 seconds to go, Unicaja leads 70-62.

On taking notice of the great difficulties of Louis Bullock to score, his teammates choose other options, and the successive points scored by Bennett, Gelabale and Burke keep a last hope, with the electronic board displaying 74-69 for Unicaja with one minute to go.

But Jorge Garbajosa decides that his time has arrived and nails an stratospheric three pointer over the good defense of Felipe Reyes who runs for perimeter and jumps for the block shot. It´s a long distance missile that actually decides the match. Garbajosa is an NBA level 2´05 m all around player that can perform as a pure 3, 4 or even 5 if game circumstances require it, and because of his great height and size, his long distance shots are very difficult to block, while Bullock (1´86 m) has been very well defended during the whole contest.

Real Madrid tries the option of quick faults, but Unicaja players score them and Unicaja wins the match 80-76, Jorge garbajosa being chosen MVP of the Game.

Technical Card

Unicaja 80
Bremer (17), Fran Vázquez (9), Carlos Cabezas (2), Garbajosa (17), Walter Herrman (7), Berni Rodríguez (9), Tabak (-), Pietrus (2), Risacher (13), Pepe Sánchez (4).

Real Madrid 76
Pat Burke (8), Bennet (17), Felipe Reyes (2), Louis Bullock (28), Gelabale (8), Herreros (3), Fotsis (2), Hervelle (-), Sonko (8).