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jun 03 2026VITORIA. Kosner Baskonia took the opening game of their quarterfinal series with a dominant 85-71 victory over Asisa Joventut at Buesa Arena. After a physical, tightly contested matchup through three quarters, the Vitoria side broke the game open in the final stretch with a devastating run that left Dani Miret's team with no answer.
The opening was marked by defensive intensity and offensive struggles from both teams. Cameron Hunt kept Penya afloat in the early minutes, while the entry of Mamadi Diakité and Matteo Spagnolo brought more energy to Baskonia. Neither team managed to open up a gap and the first quarter ended tied at 18.
The balance continued through the second period. Three consecutive three-pointers allowed the Vitoria side to take a small lead, though Asisa Joventut responded thanks to the leadership of Ricky Rubio, very active in running the offense and capable of keeping the visitors in the game. Defensive toughness became the dominant feature of the matchup and a basket by Simon Birgander at the buzzer left the score at a tight 38-37 at halftime.
After the break, Penya found solutions with the 1-3-1 defense set up by Dani Miret. The green-and-blacks managed to take the lead and forced Baskonia to work for every possession. The game became even more physical and the lead changed hands constantly. Eugene Omoruyi then stepped up with responsibility for the home side, while Ludde Hakanson provided important points for the visitors. At the end of the third quarter, Joventut led by one (59-60).
The final period completely changed the course of the game. Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot appeared in the decisive moments and Baskonia elevated its intensity on both ends of the floor. Paolo Galbiati's side found offensive fluidity and began to punish every Penya mistake.
A spectacular dunk by Eugene Omoruyi ignited Buesa Arena and sparked the decisive run. The Baskonia players strung together high-level defensive possessions and leveraged their superior energy to open an insurmountable gap. A 21-5 run ultimately decided the contest and allowed the Vitoria side to seal a convincing 85-71 victory.
With this win, Kosner Baskonia takes the series lead and moves one victory away from the semifinals, while Asisa Joventut will be forced to respond in Game 2 to avoid being on the brink of elimination.
