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may 10 2026LLEIDA. Hiopos Lleida secured a crucial victory in the Liga Endesa on Sunday, defeating Surne Bilbao Basket 90-81 at Barris Nord in a tightly contested matchup that was decided in the fourth quarter thanks to strong performances from James Batemon and Oriol Paulí. The win brings the Catalan side closer to securing their place in the ACB after recording their eleventh victory of the season.
The team coached by Gerard Encuentra came out firing and quickly built an early lead thanks to the offensive pace set by Adrià Rodríguez. The initial 12-4 run forced Jaume Ponsarnau to call a timeout before the end of the first quarter in an attempt to slow down the home team's momentum.
Surne Bilbao Basket's response came quickly. Justin Jaworski's three-pointers allowed the visitors to turn the game around and level the score in what became a constant back-and-forth affair. The first quarter ended at a tight 25-26, perfectly reflecting the offensive rhythm of both teams.
In the second period, Hiopos Lleida regained control of the game from inside the paint. Atoumane Diagne appeared frequently near the basket, and shortly after, James Batemon and Oriol Paulí began to create separation on offense. This led to one of the first significant runs for the Lleida squad, who reached a nine-point advantage at 46-37.
However, Surne Bilbao Basket prevented the game from getting out of hand before halftime. Two consecutive plays by Martin Krampelj, including a buzzer-beater following a costly local rebounding error, cut the deficit and left the score at 54-48 at the break.
After the halftime break, Hiopos Lleida maintained a slight offensive edge. Cameron Krutwig punished opponents near the basket with several quality plays thanks to his footwork, while the home team managed to sustain small leads around six points. The Basque side responded by relying on Darrun Hilliard, who appeared late in the third quarter to keep Ponsarnau's team alive.
With two free throws from Melwin Pantzar, Surne Bilbao Basket closed the third quarter with an encouraging 69-67 that left everything wide open heading into the final stretch.
Hiopos Lleida's most dangerous moment came early in the fourth quarter when Harold Frey completed a drive to put the visitors ahead at 71-73. But just when the game seemed to be tilting toward the Basque side, the Catalan team's best offensive version appeared.
A 10-1 run in just three minutes decided the contest. James Batemon took on offensive responsibilities, Oriol Paulí provided balance and energy on both ends of the floor, and a three-pointer from Caleb Agada finished energizing Barris Nord with the score at 81-74 with just over three minutes remaining.
From that point on, Hiopos Lleida managed the final possessions better and held on to secure a vital victory on this Liga Endesa matchday. James Batemon finished as the game's leading scorer with 20 points and was once again decisive in the crucial moments of the contest.
With this win, Hiopos Lleida takes a major step forward in their fight for survival in the ACB, while Surne Bilbao Basket lets slip a golden opportunity during a critical stretch of the season.
