Matchday 4 Preview: Three Unbeaten Teams and Valencia in Trouble

Por ·

Three teams arrive undefeated at the fourth matchday, and none have it easy. The standout case is Río Breogán, which has surpassed 100 points in its first three games—something no team in the league has done since Real Madrid in 1985-86—and is experiencing the best start in its history. Alongside the Lugo-based team are Kosner Baskonia, leading by point differential despite their European struggles, and Real Madrid. At the bottom, Valencia Basket needs to snap a three-loss streak in one week.

Breogán, facing the bottom team

Río Breogán visits MoraBanc Andorra on Saturday (19:30) in the best form the team can remember. Luis Casimiro's squad leads the league in scoring (108.7 points per game) and effective field goal percentage, with Francis Alonso, MVP of the last matchday, and Mavra, shooting 69% from three, as their two standout players. The team has never started 3-0: three times it reached 2-0 and lost the third game. Facing them will be Andorra, which has three losses, concedes over 100 points on average, and will continue without Rafa Luz due to a groin injury. Their weapon is James Akinjo, the second-leading assist provider in the league's opening stretch.

Read also:

Tavares, seven blocks from the record

Real Madrid hosts Surne Bilbao on Sunday (12:30) with a pending milestone: Edy Tavares needs seven blocks to surpass Fran Vázquez as the all-time leader in blocks in Liga Endesa history. Pedro Martínez's team arrives in fine form after beating ASVEL in the EuroLeague, but continues without Gabriel Deck, who will undergo left shoulder surgery, and Usman Garuba. Bilbao (2-1), which beat Slavia on Wednesday in the Basketball Champions League, has a doubt: Aleix Font, who did not train on Friday due to a viral infection. Madrid has won three of the last five head-to-head matchups.

Perasovic, to La Laguna

Kosner Baskonia, leading with a +61 point differential, changed coaches this week despite their 3-0 record in the league. Velimir Perasovic directs the team on Friday in Bologna and on Sunday (18:00 on the Peninsula) visits La Laguna Tenerife, a court where Baskonia struggles: the Canary Islands team has won four of the last five league head-to-head matchups. Jaka Lakovic's squad (2-1) arrives after crushing Maxima Roma in the EuroCup and with Marcelinho Huertas in great form. Giedraitis remains sidelined.

Valencia, breaking the streak

Valencia Basket hosts UCAM Murcia (Sunday, 17:00) after losing to Barcelona in the league and to Olympiacos and Maccabi in the EuroLeague. Xavi Albert has the full roster available following Yankuba Sima's departure, who rescinded his contract. UCAM (1-2), which already beat Barcelona in Murcia and comes off a win in Bamberg in the BCL, continues without Juani Marcos. It's a matchup with recent history: UCAM has won three of the last five, one of them in the playoffs.

Ricky and Penya host Barcelona

Asisa Joventut, which finally won on Wednesday against Andorra, hosts Barcelona on Sunday (19:00). Ricky Rubio arrives with 29 assists in three games, the second-best total in league history at this point, one away from Pablo Laso's record. Penya continues without Ante Tomic and Yannick Kraag. Barcelona, which hosts Olympiacos on Friday in the EuroLeague, will be without Yoan Makoundou and has Justin Minaya as a doubt. The Blaugrana have won three of the last five matchups.

Rest of the matchday

Kids&Us Manresa, still without a win, opens the matchday on Saturday (18:00) against Unicaja, with Rafa Villar and Timmy Allen as doubts. Unicaja will continue without Tyson Pérez, Yannick Nzosa, and Alberto Díaz, and Tyler Kalinoski is not at 100%. Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos hosts Monbus Obradoiro (Saturday, 21:00) three days after losing by one point to Hapoel in the EuroCup. The Burgos team does not have Obasohan or Cancar, and Koprivica is a doubt due to a blow to the nasal septum. Obradoiro (2-1) only has the absence of Olle Lundqvist. On Sunday at 12:00, FIATC Girona-Leyma Coruña is played, with a severely depleted Girona (Vázquez, Fjellerup, and Busquets, the latter until December), and Casademont Zaragoza-iLERNA Lleida, in which only Jilson Bango is missing from the Zaragoza squad.