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may 30 2026VITORIA. Kosner Baskonia closed out the Liga Endesa regular season with a crucial 92-89 victory over Unicaja. Paolo Galbiati's squad locked up home-court advantage for the playoff quarterfinals and remains in contention for third place, while Unicaja's defeat officially eliminates the Málaga team from title contention.
Mamadi Diakité delivered a decisive performance with 20 points and a 29 efficiency rating, well supported by Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot, who scored 22 points, and Kobi Simmons, who contributed 17 points and stepped up in the game's most critical moments.
The game started with an aggressive Unicaja, capitalizing on second chances thanks to their offensive rebounding dominance. Ibon Navarro's squad found early advantages and forced Baskonia to respond quickly.
The home response came from the bench. Paolo Galbiati made adjustments and the Vitoria squad elevated their defensive intensity to string together an 11-0 run that shifted the momentum. Luwawu-Cabarrot took over offensively and began consistently punishing the Andalusian defense.
Despite this, Unicaja managed to stabilize the game thanks to a zone defense that slowed Baskonia's pace. The first quarter ended with a home advantage (21-16), though the margin remained slim.
In the second period, Justin Cobbs provided fluidity to the visiting offense and Olek Balcerowski stepped up to keep Málaga alive. However, Baskonia continued finding offensive solutions, especially through an inspired Luwawu-Cabarrot, who reached halftime with 17 points.
An exchange of three-pointers in the final moments of the first half left the score at 46-39 for the Vitoria side.
After the break, the game changed tone. Unicaja persisted with zone defense and managed to trouble the home offense for extended stretches. Offensive rebounding dominance allowed the visitors to gradually close the gap to just one point (51-50).
The game intensified and tension mounted on the court. Additionally, foul trouble affected Paolo Galbiati, as his big men accumulated personals and he was forced to use Eugene Omoruyi as a stretch five for long stretches.
Augustine Rubit capitalized on that situation to do damage near the basket and keep Unicaja completely in the game. The third quarter concluded with a tight 71-69 that left everything open for the final ten minutes.
The final period was marked by parity. Killian Tillie tied the game with his fourth three-pointer of the night, but shortly after was ejected—a circumstance that significantly reduced the visiting team's offensive potential from beyond the arc.
Rubit then assumed offensive responsibility for Unicaja, but Baskonia found the decisive answer in the hands of Kobi Simmons. The American scored six consecutive points that allowed the home side to open a decisive lead (87-80).
As the game entered its final stretch, Mamadi Diakité appeared. The Baskonia center scored five consecutive points to seal the victory and secure a fundamental win for the Vitoria squad's interests.
With this result, Kosner Baskonia guarantees home-court advantage in the Liga Endesa playoff quarterfinals and can still finish third depending on other results. Unicaja, meanwhile, brings an end to a league season marked by a very difficult final stretch that leaves them out of the title playoffs.
