Badalona (Barcelona), 18 Feb. Unicaja and Lenovo Tenerife will play this Sunday (7:00 p.m., – 1 GMT), at the Palau Municipal d’Esports de Badalona, an unprecedented Copa del Rey final after eliminating Real Madrid in the semi-finals (93-82) and Joventut (72-73), respectively.
The fifth time was the charm of the Tenerife team which had lost the four semi-finals played previously and will therefore play its first final. A basket from Elgin Cook and a block from Tim Abromaitis in Joventut’s last game gave victory to Txus Vidorreta’s side.
Unicaja will play in their fourth Copa del Rey final. He won (80-76) in 2005 the first he played, against Real Madrid, his rival whom he eliminated in the semi-finals, and lost those of 2009 against Baskonia (100-98) and he three years ago, in 2020, again against Real Madrid (95-68).
The host’s curse is extended for another season after Joventut fell in the semi-finals. Since 2002, when Baskonia beat Barça (85-83), the local team has not won the Copa del Rey. ECE
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