ZARAGOZA. Coviran Granada secured a crucial victory in the Liga Endesa, defeating Casademont Zaragoza 74-85 at the Príncipe Felipe. Led by a spectacular Luka Bozic, the Andalusian side keeps its playoff hopes alive after mounting a remarkable second-half comeback against a direct rival also seriously threatened with relegation.
The team coached by Arturo Ruiz faced the game with the obligation to win to maintain mathematical chances of survival. Despite a start filled with offensive inaccuracy and nerves on both sides, Coviran Granada managed to hold on until finding the right moment to strike.
The first quarter was marked by offensive struggles. Both Casademont Zaragoza and Coviran Granada suffered greatly from beyond the arc and barely found fluidity in their offense. The 13-12 score at the end of the first ten minutes perfectly reflected the offensive stalemate both teams were experiencing.
The big news for the Aragonese side came in that opening stretch with the return of Trey Bell-Haynes after four months sidelined. The Canadian point guard brought immediate energy to the home team's play and helped energize Zaragoza's offense alongside Marco Spissu and Devin Robinson. Thanks to this, Casademont Zaragoza managed to open a small gap on the scoreboard (24-18).
However, Coviran Granada never lost face in the game. Jonathan Rousselle appeared with solid minutes to support the visitors and keep the contest competitive despite the physical dominance of Joan Plaza's team, which took advantage especially of offensive rebounding and transition play to maintain the initiative.
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Casademont Zaragoza managed to reach halftime with a lead (40-35), although the feeling was already beginning to shift. Coviran Granada was starting to find better offensive positions and gradually growing in confidence.
After the break came the decisive turning point of the game. The Granada side significantly elevated its defensive intensity and began to seriously believe in the comeback. Luka Bozic then took absolute control of the game. The Croatian delivered an extraordinary performance with 23 points and a 32 efficiency rating, becoming the great offensive leader of Coviran Granada at the most critical moment of the contest.
Alongside him appeared Amar Alibegovic, crucial with 16 points and several decisive plays on both ends of the floor. Meanwhile, Casademont Zaragoza began to stall offensively. Santi Yusta failed to find consistency in his shooting and the home team entered an increasingly negative dynamic.
The end of the third quarter left the game completely open (60-54), but the start of the final period proved devastating for the Aragonese. Coviran Granada put together a decisive 2-16 run, completely changing the course of the game and silencing the Príncipe Felipe.
The Andalusian side played its best minutes of the entire season on the road. Aggressive defense, control of the defensive glass, and offensive accuracy allowed Arturo Ruiz's team to manage the lead with authority in the decisive stretch. Casademont Zaragoza tried to react in the final minutes, but Coviran Granada managed to stay calm to secure its first road victory of the entire campaign.
The victory allows Coviran Granada to remain mathematically alive in the fight for survival in the Liga Endesa. A loss in Zaragoza would have meant mathematical relegation, but this victory gives the Andalusian side extra life, which will continue fighting until the end.
For its part, Casademont Zaragoza now finds itself in a delicate situation. The Aragonese team maintains only a one-win margin over the relegation zone marked by Morabanc Andorra, still pending their game against BAXI Manresa.