After a narrow defeat in Oviedo, the team led by Rubén Perelló returns home with the intention of securing a vital win. Currently, HLA Alicante sits in seventh place with a record of 14 wins and 13 losses, while Gipuzkoa is sixth, with only one point separating the two teams.
The Basque team, coached by Sergio García, arrives at the match in their worst run of the season, with three consecutive losses. They have fallen to teams like Palencia and Oviedo, and even against Melilla, the last-place team. Furthermore, Gipuzkoa has not won away from the Amenabar Arena since February, a factor that HLA Alicante will try to exploit.
In the first leg, Gipuzkoa won 77-70. Their top scorer and rebounder is Georgian Giorgi Korsantia, averaging 18.5 points per game. Other key players in the Basque offense include Manex Ansorregui, Nacho Arroyo, Tyler McGhie, and Abdoulaye Ngom, all of whom have surpassed 200 points this season. For HLA Alicante, only Kevin Larsen and Mike Torres match these numbers.
“"We are having moments of disconnection, generally in the third quarter, in which the team makes several bad shot choices, several turnovers in important moments. Naturally, we feel frustrated, because we want to compete. In the league, at this moment, there are no first or last places. Everyone is playing for something. For our part, we have to get a number of victories that ensure we can play the 'play-off', but it will not be an easy task. We have five finals left and we will have to sweat blood."
Perelló expressed his frustration over the team's moments of disconnection, especially in the third quarter, and emphasized the importance of the remaining five 'finals' to secure a 'play-off' spot. The Valencian coach expects to have all his players available, although he will need to manage the physical condition of recent additions such as Sander Hollanders, Jordan Bone, and Yasiin Joseph.
