Spain performed the miracle this Friday in Slovakia after survive two overtimes on the way to Eurobasket 2025 (72-76). What appeared to be a disguised procedure of a transcendental mourning called to enter history not so much because of what had to happen on the pitch but because of some of the players who were there. And indeed, after two overtimes, it was almost unforgettable… because of the negative.
Immersed Selection in times of “mourning” which means having already mourned the farewell of the ‘Golden Juniors’ and some of their best disciples, when time passes and the current context is forgotten, the shock of Bratislava This could end up becoming a turning point, the first step towards a new era.
Three players set to inherit Spain’s glorySergio de Larrea and Izan Almansa – 2023 U-19 world champions – and Mario Saint-Supery played their first official minutes under the orders of Sergio Scariolo. This is a hard blow at a time when opportunities for young people with their clubs are rare, thus deteriorating their progress.
They also did it in an important match despite the fact that the difference in level between Spaniards and Slovaksa priori, was big enough not to worry about the importance of winning this match and the next one on Monday in Ourense against the same rival.
Because Spain, after losing in the first two matches of the group stage against Latvia and Belgiumwas “obligated” to win this double challenge to appear next summer in the highest European national team competition, for which it is enough to finish in the first three.
The visitors came out seriouslywith Fran Guerra leading the charge in scoring 9 of his team’s first 13 points. And this concentration allowed them to mitigate the lack of success of the triple in the first quarter and take the advantage after ten minutes. (10-14, min.10).
What did not enter this section from the outside ended up entering in bursts in the second act. Miquel Salvó first and Santi Yusta Then, this one consecutively, they each converted two long shots to put things back in their place and give the Spaniards twelve leads at the break.
In addition to them, Izan Almansa also contributed, considered by many to be the great pearl of Spanish basketball, who in 05:25 on the court left six points and a rebound. Previously, he made his debut in an official clash against De Larreafilmed more with the “seniors” after having prepared with them for the Paris Games. And shortly after, Saint-Supery. They were all already there.
The vibes were good at that point, but a small, unforeseen earthquake shook the match in the form of a 7-0 partial on the return to the hardwood. Spain quickly cut it short with a triple from the captain Xabi López-Arostegui and remained about ten points ahead until, a minute and a half from the end of the third quarter, the afternoon became cloudy again.
Everything from that moment until half an hour was contributed Vladimir Brodziansky, player of UCAM Murcia; two baskets and a triple at the buzzer which brought the score to 46-48 and put fear in the body of a Spanish team which today is not afraid.
The Aragonese leader Carlos Alocén then burst in with courage, patience and five points that brought down the soufflé. However, encouraged by their supporters, Slovakia did not want to give up. Back-to-back baskets from Mario Ihring and Tomas Pavelka and a triple from Brodziasky gave the home team the lead for the first time with 04:20 remaining.
They immediately took Scariolo’s team takes the lead again by Jaime Pradilla. And from there began a carousel of offensive errors on both sides that led to no points and one possession for the Slovaks with 15 seconds remaining in the duel.
The triple Ihring failed, but Brodziansky grabbed the rebound and forced two free throws. Fortunately for the Spaniards, the pulse shook in the second game and what could have been drama resulted in overtime which gave the Spaniards five extra minutes to set things up.
In overtime offensive errors They kept performing, so much so that in three and a half minutes only three points had been scored, one for the home team and two for the away team. Simon Krajkovic then came through with a triple that ended the game.
The leader managed to score with a missed shot at the basket and tie Alberto Díaz with a free triple. Nothing went in and a succession of free throws took place. which allowed the Slovaks to face the last four tenths with three points in advance and possession. The home team took the lead, Brodziansky fell asleep, Yusta recovered and scored an impossible shortcut three-pointer which was deemed valid after review. An unthinkable action which forced the second overtime (67-67, m.45).
The new addition started with a triple from Kajkovic which puts his team into orbit until a free kick from Yusta and a triple from Salvó put the players in red with two favorable leads with 01:15 remaining. In the end, it was Salvó himself, with a rebound and the two free kicks that followed, who put the icing on the cake and put an end to the suffering. Given what we have seen, and despite the absence of many important names in the team, the transition to a new generation could be long.
Next Monday, in Orense and again against the SlovaksSpain will get its ticket for the Eurobasket.
