Galicia has a new summer champion. Leyma Coruña claimed the second edition of the San Roque Trophy by defeating Monbus Obradoiro 82-89 at the Sara Gómez-Fontecarmoa Pavilion in Vilagarcía de Arousa, taking revenge for the first edition, which had gone to the Santiago side, in front of stands filled with orange and blue that once again packed one of the most special preseason tournaments.
The matchup, however, came with both rosters at half strength: FIBA windows and other commitments left both teams without a large portion of their squads, so the tournament served mainly as a showcase for those staying put... and for those who want to stay.
Leyma Takes Control, Soneira Resists
Carles Marco's team wrote the script early. A 2-8 start set the tone in a first quarter dominated by interior scoring—just one three-pointer per team—closed out 13-17 with a three-pointer from academy product Álvaro Soneira late in the quarter.
The second period was Coruña's moment to strike. Obradoiro couldn't find continuity, Diego Epifanio called consecutive timeouts without stopping the bleeding, and two consecutive runs—an 1-8 first and a 1-10 second, with Alonzo Verge Jr. running wild—pushed the lead to 31-48. Only Soneira's persistence, with a three-pointer and a steal included, softened the 37-49 halftime score, with the Santiago U22 prospect and the orange-and-blue point guard as the standout names of the first half.
The Comeback That Never Materialized
After halftime, Obradoiro showed a different face: stronger defensive intensity, better shooting percentages, and a third quarter of 20-15 that left the game at 57-64 wide open. But each Epifanio team comeback found an immediate answer: two straight three-pointers from Jorgensen and Jacobo Díaz restored the 66-78 lead, another from Alex Barcello reopened hope (71-80 with just over three minutes left), and Tomas Dimsa's three-pointer with 1:23 remaining (74-87) sealed it.
In the final stats, Verge Jr. finished with 24 points as the unofficial MVP, followed by Radoncic (15), Jorgensen (14), and Dimsa (13). For Obradoiro, the most productive duo was Childress (18) and Dos Anjos (14), and the most promising was academy product Soneira's 9 points. Michael Caicedo also made his debut, the month's guest in Santiago training sessions, with 5 points that are beginning to justify the trial.
Galicia Warms Up for a Historic Season
The tournament leaves a snapshot that in September will become routine: an ACB-level Galician derby. With Breogán making its debut on Saturday against Portuguese Sporting and these two facing off in Vilagarcía, the three Galician representatives in the upcoming Liga Endesa are already underway, heading toward a season in which the region will once again seat three teams in the elite. Obradoiro, freshly promoted, makes its league debut on September 26.
Box Score
Monbus Obradoiro, 82: Childress (18), Dos Anjos (14), Barcello (11), Soneira (9), Barrueta (8), Faure (7), Caicedo (5), Riga (4), Galán (3), Pablo Rodríguez (3), Sergi Quintela (0) and Badji (0).
Leyma Coruña, 89: Verge Jr. (24), Radoncic (15), Jorgensen (14), Dimsa (13), Jacobo Díaz (8), Uleckas (5), Jou (5), Taboada (4), Camara (0) and Del Castillo (0).
Quarters: 13-17, 24-32 (37-49 at halftime), 20-15 and 25-25.
Referees: Cortés, Ríos and González.
Notes: II San Roque Trophy, at the Sara Gómez-Fontecarmoa Pavilion in Vilagarcía de Arousa