With the essence of Chichi Creus, the TDK star who surprised everyone with a remarkable performance in the Murcia Cup 28 years ago, Baxi Manresa showcased their dreams for nearly 38 minutes at the Carpena. It was an extraordinary feat. Jabari Parker and Laprovittola, displaying pure class, came through when the pressure was high, unleashing an 8-0 run that secured Barça’s spot in the semi-finals. On Saturday, they will face either Unicaja or Tenerife. [Narrative and statistics (102-91)]

It was a sigh of relief for Roger Grimau, as he progressed further than Jasikevicius did last year. Although his team did not shine and struggled to respond to Manresa’s offensive audacity, they remained calm during the crucial moments and advanced to the next stage.

Among the eight teams participating in Malaga, Baxi Manresa was the most unexpected contender. They may not be familiar with these summits, but they outperformed Baskonia and Joventut in the first round, earning their place in the tournament. Once on the court, just like they did two years ago, they fearlessly danced, even though Barcelona was their first opponent. They played without any inhibitions and showed great determination. Although they started with a 9-18 deficit, only Jabari Parker played at an elite level for the Blaugrana, who had defeated them at Congost on the previous Sunday.

Grimau, in his coaching debut, had to make adjustments to his players. The defensive intensity they had shown was not sufficient. Willy and Laprovittola brought energy to the team, while Da Silva provided stability in the backcourt. Logic prevailed before halftime, with rebound dominance serving as their greatest advantage against the favorites.

The halftime break was a fresh start for the Bages team, marking their relentless pursuit of victory. Their return was filled with adrenaline, as they sparked a 2-13 run that rattled Barça and pushed them dangerously close to disaster. However, the Blaugrana recovered, with Willy making a significant impact, and Baxi Manresa fought back with Brandon Taylor’s exceptional talent. Five consecutive points from the point guard narrowed the gap to 87-88 with less than three minutes left on the clock.

In the end, it was talent that resolved Barcelona’s moment of maximum alert. Just like Campazzo did the day before against Murcia, Laprovittola took charge with composure and Jabari showcased his skills (with two crucial free throws missed by Badio during that decisive stretch). An 8-0 run put an end to Manresa’s dream.