The last day of the regular phase of the ACB League was played this Wednesday and has determined all the playoff pairings, which will begin next Saturday. On this decisive date, Valencia Basket has secured the last place left to fight for the title, which UCAM Murcia could still snatch from them. For the Murcians to be eighth they had to win their game and expect a defeat by Valencia. And although those from La Fonteta succumbed (77-80) to a Breogán with nothing at stake, the university team could not do their part by falling clearly (86-57) on Barça’s pitch. Precisely the Catalans, who were already leaders mathematically, will be Valencia’s rival in the quarterfinals.
Baskonia finally finished in second place, which got rid of Básquet Girona on the last day (70-75) and will face Joventut de Badalona, seventh ranked, in the first round of the playoff. Real Madrid, who had just lifted their eleventh Euroleague title just a few days ago, will face Gran Canaria as third place. Chus Mateo’s men have beaten Betis (79-77), also leading to the relegation of the Verdiblancos. Its next rival, Gran Canaria, had an embarrassing regular league final, falling by (105-75) at Manresa’s stadium.
The other playoff pairing will repeat the Copa del Rey final between Tenerife and Unicaja. The Canaries finish fourth after comfortably beating Zaragoza (92-69) and will seek revenge against the Malaga team, who swept Bilbao Basket (71-103) on the last date.
In the lower part, two Andalusian teams played to avoid relegation. In the end, smiles in Granada and tears in Seville. Betis says goodbye to the first division after four consecutive seasons in the elite and accompanies the already evicted Fuenlabrada to the LEB Oro. Joventut and provoked the joy of Granada, thanks to a very worked permanence being a recently promoted.
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