Leyma Coruña Shows Leader's Poise to Extend Lead

Against a Movistar Estudiantes side depleted by injuries, Leyma Coruña showed no mercy in securing another victory to extend their lead over second place while taking advantage of Monbus Obradoiro's rest day. A statement performance on a night when Súper Agropal Palencia impressed at home and Alimerka Oviedo mounted a comeback to win at Pumarín.

Leyma Coruña continues to lead the table following a solid victory on Friday night in which Carles Marco's side gave Movistar Estudiantes, hampered by injuries, no chance whatsoever.

Leyma Coruña faced an important matchup on a weekend when their closest pursuer would have a rest day, and Marco's men were not about to waste the opportunity. The Galician side needed just three minutes to establish the first significant lead of the game, with a three-pointer from Paul Jorgensen serving as the opening blow for Movistar Estudiantes. The perfect prelude to a 12-0 run that saw them reach the end of the first quarter with 35 points and a +16 advantage that was already inspiring optimism. Movistar Estudiantes, hampered by injuries especially in the paint, could do little to contain Leyma Coruña's accuracy in transition, with different rotations continuing to add scoring to the home team's game. The contest reached the final quarter with a +33 lead for the hosts, leaving little room for Toni Ten's men to cut into the deficit during a fourth quarter that lacked any drama (105-82).

The victory proved somewhat more costly for Súper Agropal Palencia, who faced an impressive Flexicar Fuenlabrada from the start. A team that arrived in Palencia ready for a fight and impressed in a strong first quarter thanks to their outside game, but their good start would count for little against Iñaki Martín's squad. The arrival of a stellar Mustapha Heron dynamited the game with three spectacular dunks (SEE VIDEO) and excellent three-point shooting, complemented by an Ingus Jakovics who showed no mercy from beyond the arc, extending the lead to maximum margins. Although Flexicar Fuenlabrada tried to get back into the game in the third quarter through Dani Manchón's grit and Iván Aurrecoechea's dominance in the post, the greater bench depth of the Palencia side allowed Natxo Lezkano's team to solidify their performance and close out the fifteenth game of the season (97-74).

The evening was completed at El Plantío with a back-and-forth contest between Grupo Ureta Tizona and Alimerka Oviedo. A game in which the Oviedo side struck first with a +10 lead at the end of a first quarter led by the Lobaco-Cosialls duo with 13 points between them to send an early message. The Burgos side reacted well with Jackson and Brown raising the level on offense, and Denís Pombar's men were able to level the score at halftime before taking small leads after the restart. The best moments of the game came for a team that began to dream of victory, but could not contain the final push from Javi Rodríguez's side toward the win. A statement performance that allowed them to establish themselves in playoff positions after defeating a rival that suffered their fourth consecutive loss (82-89).

On Saturday afternoon, Hestia Menorca opened the session with an important road victory, one of those prestigious wins that came after a complete performance against HLA Alicante. A game in which the overwhelming first quarter from Javi Zamora's side set the tone early with a lethal Spencer Littleson from the perimeter and a Thaddus McFadden providing a spark off the bench. A performance that Kevin Larsen tried to answer with his usual role as a paint warrior, but which only increased through the play of Fernando Zubriggen, who flourished at the perfect moment to allow the Balearic Islanders to shift into high gear toward victory (58-76). And if the Balearic victory proved important, no less so was the triumph of Inveready Gipuzkoa, who returned to winning ways at the Ángel Nieto in Zamora with a century-mark performance. Because Sergio García's team once again displayed their best collective basketball through a devastating start with 30 points in the first 10 minutes of the game. A momentum they maintained throughout the contest against a rival that tried to respond to their attacks with hard work, but never felt comfortable against the solid defense of the Basque team.

Cloud.gal Ourense Baloncesto also did not falter, in this case at home, having to work hard to overcome Fibwi Mallorca Palma. A game of the type where emotional control and intensity over 40 minutes would be decisive for a team in which Rafa Lisboa once again proved fundamental in securing a victory that solidified their playoff position (81-69). Although the big winner of the night was Palmer Basket Mallorca, who grabbed oxygen on the road by taking the direct matchup of necessity against Grupo Caesa Cartagena, who let a great opportunity slip away. The Balearic Islanders delivered a complete performance under the direction of Hansel Atencia to dominate virtually the entire game (66-82).

PRIMERA FEB - MATCHDAY 22:

Friday, February 20, 2026:
- Grupo Ureta Tizona Burgos vs Alimerka Oviedo (82-89) | MVP: J. Brown - 22 val.
- Leyma Coruña vs Movistar Estudiantes (105-82) | MVP: G. Jou - 23 val.
- Súper Agropal Palencia vs Flexicar Fuenlabrada (97-74) | MVP: I. Jakovics - 28 val.

Saturday, February 21, 2026:
- HLA Alicante vs Hestia Menorca (58-76) | MVP: F. Zurbriggen - 32 val.
- Grupo Caesa Cartagena vs Palmer Basket Mallorca (66-82) | MVP: H. Atencia - 23 val.
- Cloud.Gal Ourense vs Fibwi Mallorca Palma (81-69) | MVP: R. Lisboa - 19 val.
- Caja Rural Zamora vs Inveready Gipuzkoa (70-101) | MVP: A. Ngom - 23 val.