Bueno Arenas Albacete Topples Third-Ranked Unbeaten Grupo Alega Cantabria

HLA Alicante dominated Inveready Gipuzkoa to seize first place, Movistar Estudiantes held firm at Son Moix to maintain their unbeaten record alongside Alicante, and Grupo Alega Cantabria fell for the first time this season to a resilient Bueno Arenas Albacete. Thrilling matchups in Matchday 5 saw Partizan Fuenlabrada secure their first win of the season at home against Bàsquet Menorca.

A double home victory on Saturday night with wins from Iberolea Palencia and Alimerka Oviedo in front of their respective crowds preceded a strong Sunday in which Grupo Alega Cantabria dropped out of the leaders' circle where HLA Alicante and Movistar Estudiantes remain unbeaten.

Iberolea Palencia needed a victory to recover their form after two consecutive losses in league and cup play, and it would come at home. It arrived on a night when the Castilla crowd proved crucial in mounting a comeback against Ourense Baloncesto's strong start. The visitors established themselves early with a solid Zidek and couldn't contain Palencia's second-half surge. First came Littleson's push, then Ngom's work in the paint, and finally a three-pointer from Tobias Borg that tied the game before the hosts took control (84-80). A similar visiting effort came at Oviedo's Palacio de los Deportes where Alimerka Oviedo, led by PJ Smith Jr. who continues to light the way in crucial moments, prevailed over Caja Rural Zamora despite Álex Jorda's debut not being enough (81-77).

Sunday's session brought the turn of the unbeaten leaders, starting with a stellar HLA Alicante at home that gave Inveready Gipuzkoa no chance, with Rafa Lisboa leading the charge in a dominant display (106-66). In this way, Pedro Rivero's squad proclaimed themselves candidates for first place, a position they would confirm in the afternoon session. There came the turn of the other two contenders with Movistar Estudiantes' victory at Son Moix in a duel where Toni Ten's men had to work hard to reach the final stretch ahead, where two three-pointers from Omar Silverio proved decisive in maintaining their unbeaten status (78-84). Grupo Alega Cantabria couldn't maintain that momentum, arriving with their fifth win of the season within reach but falling to a Bueno Arenas Albacete that made consistency their greatest weapon. David Varela's men knew how to resist Cantabria's attempts to put the game away, taking advantage of Silvano Merlo's direction and a basket from Makar Voronin to tie the game, which would be decided by a final free throw from Nicl Reid (82-81).

On a matchday in which Cajasiete Gran Canaria secured a valuable victory on Cajasol Coto Córdoba's court thanks to an imperial Marques Townes who opened the way with his three-pointers for Guerra and Urbaniak to finish from the paint (65-99). In this way, the Canary Islands squad looks high again in a table where Covirán Granada took a breath with their victory in the Andalusian derby against INsolac Caja 87, who offered a great performance but fell in overtime with a final layup from the Granada squad courtesy of Greg Parham (81-84). A matchup as tight as the one that gave Grupo Ureta Tizona their first win of the season at Son Moix following a reverse layup from Javonte Brown and two free throws from Sebastian Aris (94-95).

The first victory also came to Partizan Fuenlabrada's record after a hard-fought triumph over Bàsquet Menorca in a duel sealed with a three-pointer from Mateo Díaz from the top of the circle to close out the game (90-76).

PRIMERA FEB - MATCHDAY 5:

Saturday, October 24, 2026:
- Alimerka Oviedo vs Caja Rural Zamora (81-77) | MVP: PJ Smith Jr - 34 rating
- Iberolea Palencia vs Ourense Baloncesto (84-80) | MVP: A. Martínez - 23 rating

Sunday, October 25, 2026:
- Palmer Basket Mallorca vs Grupo Ureta Tizona Burgos (94-95) | MVP: L. Nwogbo - 24 rating
- HLA Alicante vs Inveready Askatuak Gipuzkoa (106-66) | MVP: R. Lisboa - 22 rating
- Cajasol Coto Córdoba vs Cajasiete Gran Canaria (65-99) | MVP: F. Guerra - 21 rating
- Insolac Caja87 vs Covirán Granada (81-84) | MVP: S. Barro - 27 rating
- Partizan Fuenlabrada vs Bàsquet Menorca (90-76) | MVP: M. Díaz - 34 rating
- Fibwi Mallorca Palma vs Movistar Estudiantes (78-84) | MVP: S. Jackson - 26 rating
- Bueno Arenas Albacete vs Grupo Alega Cantabria (82-81) | MVP: L. Nwogbo - 24 rating