Amadeu Garcia

Updated Sunday, February 25, 2024-21:24

  • Ricky's return with the national team "The love for basketball has always been there"

  • 75-79 in Zaragoza No revenge against Latvia

Pierre-Antoine Gillet

(15 points, 22 rating) and the hyperactive

Retin Obasohan

(19 points) were Belgium's great arguments to inflict yesterday on Sergio Scariolo's Spain its second consecutive defeat in the qualifier for Eurobasket 2025 (58- 53).

All after a second half in which the Belgians again and again stifled the visitors' attempts to rebel against a fate sealed by their lack of success.

The defensive adjustments were enough against a Spain without team play and that could only rely on individual sparks.

There are still four days left to right the course, because after Thursday's setback in Zaragoza against Latvia, a double match against Slovakia awaits in November.

The challenge, of course, seems feasible.

Although first we will have to focus on the Pre-Olympic.

There, in the first instance, Lebanon and Angola await.

Then, a very demanding final match against Finland, Poland or the Bahamas.

Waiting for reinforcements like

Santi Aldama

,

Willy Hernangómez

or

Lorenzo Brown

, Scariolo must settle for this lower-ranked Spain, condemned yesterday in Charleroi for its 16 losses and its terrible shooting percentages (44% in shots from two and 25% in triples).

After a first quarter of practice, with some touches from

Joel Parra

, Spain improved its defensive performance and found in

Yankuba Sima

its best argument in attack to go into the break seven points clear (19-26).

Fourteenth in 2022

On the part of the locals, the score was almost a monologue by Obasohan, a 30-year-old globetrotter seasoned on the back roads of European basketball, from the Czech Republic to Israel.

Not to mention his experiences at Avellino, Bamberg or ASVEL Villeurbanne.

Well, to his leadership in the direction was added the effectiveness of Gillet, a 32-year-old veteran power forward with a couple of modest stages in Tenerife (2018-19) and Fuenlabrada (2019-2020).

Between them, they were enough to keep Dario Gjergja

's team

, fourteenth ranked in Eurobasket 2022, in the fight.

After the break,

Ricky Rubio

was unable to step on the hardwood again, due to a slight overload in his left knee.

Despite the scare, Scariolo ruled out any serious problem.

"He came out due to a slight overload on his operated knee. Although it is nothing serious, obviously you have to be very cautious, because he has been out for a long time after a serious injury," the Italian said about the 2019 World Cup MVP.

Partial 15-1

It must be remembered that the El Masnou point guard, currently in the Barça discipline, already underwent surgery on this joint in 2022 after suffering a torn cruciate ligament during a match with the Cavaliers in Portland.

The absence of their best man ended up being decisive for the current continental champion, who suffered a scoring drought of more than five minutes.

From 40-48 to 55-49, with a free throw from

Jaime Pradilla

.

Obasohan, of course, appreciated the ease and hammered the rim before committing the fifth foul.

With a run of 15-1, Belgium had once again turned the situation around.

Now definitively.