BC "Joventut Badalona" (Spain) - BC "Prometey". November 2. 21:15. 7DAYS EuroCup group tournament. Group A. 4th round. Badalona (Spain). Palau Olympic de Badalona Arena. Broadcast - YouTube channel "DIVISPORT BASKETBALL".
Tomorrow, on November 2, within the 7DAYA EuroCup, “Prometey” plays the third match in three weeks. It will be a match with a representative of the one of the top European championships. After the Italian “Brescia” and the Turkish “Bursaspor” our team will be examined by the Spanish club “Joventut Badalona” on their site.
In the current EuroCup draw, there are no equals to “Joventut” in terms of traditions and conquered titles on the European arena. “Joventut” represents a city of Badalona, which is part of the Barcelona Province in Catalonia autonomous community. On March 30 in 1930 a Penya Spirit of Badalona sports association was established in Badalona. It developed several sports at once but in 1940, basketball was recognised the main sport in the club. Since then, green and black have become main colours of the club.
In 50s – 80s of the previous century “Real Madrid” was the strongest club in the Spanish basketball and it was “Barcelona” and “Joventut” who were its main rivals. The club from Badalona is a 4-time champion of Spain (1967, 1978, 1991, 1992), “green and black” won the National Cup 8 times.
“Joventut” is a titled club even by European standards. In 1980/1981 and 1989/1990 seasons, Spaniards won the Korac Cup, the third most prestigious European tournament those times. In 1992, “Joventut” reached the final of the Champions Cup (now – Euroleague) where they lost only one point to “Partizan” Belgrad (70:71). In 1994, “Hoventut” finally advanced to the top of European basketball. Defeaing the Greec “Olympiacos” in the final “Joventut” became the second Spanish team after “Real” to win this tournament. Achievements on the European arena did not pass by the “Prometey” rival in the new millennium: in 2006, the team became the holder of the FIBA Challenge Cup (now – FIBA European Cup), and two years later – the ULEB European Cup (now – 7DAYS EuroCup).
“Joventut” has an intention to repeat their 14-year-old success this season. The head coach of “Prometey” Ronen Ginzburg considers tomorrow’s competitor the main contender for winning in 7DAYS EuroCup: “This is the best EuroCup team on the both sides of the court, the club with great traditions. “Joventut” has been the top team of the Spanish league for many years. There are 12 equal players in their roster, and each of them is able to play at a high level, their basketball players have great experience”.
As well as “Prometey”, “Joventut” has 2 wins and 1 loss after three tours of the 7DAYS EuroCup group stage. On the start of the tour, Spaniards defeated the Italian “Brescia” at home (80:63), then lost to the Turkish “Bursaspor” in a road match (72:81), and in the Slovenian Ljubljana they turned to be stronger than the local “Cedevita-Olympia”. Tomorrows opponents are one victory behind the French “Bourges”, and like “Brescia” and “Bursaspor” have 66.7 of victories so far. In the Spanish championship, thus far “Joventut” is also performing not consistently, sitting in 9th place among 18 Endesa League participants. At the same time, there is no doubt that the team of the 46-year-old coach Carles Duran will set their affairs right and catch up to the last season’s tournament results – the 4th place in the regular championship and a loss to “Barcelona” in the semi-final of ACB (1:3). At the same time, on the quarter-final stage, “Joventut” turned out to be stronger than “Tenerife” (2:1), who had two fascinating confrontations with “Prometey” in the group stage of the Champions league last season.
“Tenerife” was of about the same level with “Joventut”, perhaps, the team from Badalona is a little bit better than Canary islanders, but they are of about the same level” – noted Ronen Ginzburg.
The squad with a great number of high-class players is a weighty argument in favour of the fact that “Joventut” will reach the last year’s positions in the Spanish championship and will keep performing in the 7DAYS EuroCup at a high level. Particularly, it is worthy to talk about 35-year-old Pau Ribas and Ante Tomic. Pau Ribas became the European champion in 2015 as part of the Spanish National team, and in 2019, he became a world champion. The native of Barcelona played several years for the club of the same name, where he was on leading roles. The great career in “Barcelona” and “Real Madrid” is in the past of the Croatian center Ante Tomic (217 cm height). In 2013 and 2014, being a player of “Barcelona”, Ante was included to the first team of all Euroleague stars, in 2015 – to the second one. Regarding his input to the today’s “Joventut” play, it is a very significant one. Tomic is the best shooter and rebounder of “Hoventut” in the Spanish championship (on average 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per match); and Ribas so far is the 8th assistant of EuroCup with 5 productive assists per game.
Tomic and Ribas have great support in the team. The American power forward of the team Henry Ellenson has as many rebounds in the Spanish championship as Tomic, and he was the best scorer of “Joventut” in the EuroCup matches with “Brescia” and “Cedevita”. Club’s excellent back line, along with Ribas, includes 29-year-old Spaniard Guilllem Vives, 25-year-old player from the Dominican republic Andres Feliz and 25-year-old American legionary Kyle Guy. Vives makes most assists in the team (5.2 assists), Guy is the most effective team guard in the championship and the EuroCup (13.5 and 11.7 respectively). 22-year-old Joel Parra is capable of covering positions 3 and 4. Joel played for the Spanish National team at the last EuroBasket, winning the title of the European champion as part of the team.
Needless to say, “Prometey” awaits a crucial test tomorrow. The day before the confrontation in Badalona, the players of our team emphasise that this match will show in all terms what basketball level they are at. At the same time, the victory of “Prometey” over “Joventut” will not become kind of a fantastic event. The fact that it is possible to defeat this formidable team is proven by their rivals in the Spanish championship, and not the elite ones, and “Bursaspor”, which surpassed “Joventut” in the 7DAYS EuroCup. Let’s wish our guys luck! To follow the course of events in the match “Joventut Badalona” – “Prometey”, watch the live video broadcast on YouTube channel “DIVISPORT BASKETBALL” on November 2, starting at 21:15.
