A day after struggling from beyond the arc against Valencia, Monbus Obradoiro made 15 three-pointers and dominated Alba Berlin (105-86) in the third-place game of the EncestaRías Tournament, played at the Pavillón Municipal dos Deportes in Pontevedra.
Dominance from the opening tip
Diego Epifanio's team came out focused and composed. The Compostela defense suffocated the German passing lanes and opened up a gap early in the first quarter (22-12). Far from being satisfied, the offense continued to function in the second, with another favorable run (28-20) that left the score at 50-32 at halftime.
Alba Berlin showed pride after the break. With the accuracy of Joe Wieskamp and Sam Griesel, Pedro Calles' team imposed their physicality, won the third quarter 27-33 and cut into the deficit. But Obradoiro didn't fall apart: in the final quarter they increased their defensive pressure, punished in the paint and closed with a 28-21 run that eliminated any doubt.
The numbers that explain it
The victory rests on three pillars.
The first, Joel Soriano. The Dominican center posted 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from two-point range, five offensive rebounds and a rating of 22, being a constant problem for Berlin's interior defenders.
The second, three-point shooting. Yunio Barrueta added 20 points on 6-of-10 from three in just 17 minutes, and Álex Barcello contributed 19 on 5-of-8. The same two players who on Friday had gone just 1-of-11 combined from deep.
And the third, depth. The bench contributed 65 points and the team distributed 24 assists, with Sergi Quintela running the offense (7 points, 6 assists and a rating of 18). Caleb Agada added 9 points and 5 rebounds, Leo Meindl 8 points and 4 steals, Felipe dos Anjos 8 points and 5 rebounds, and Brandon Childress, now getting minutes after his injury, scored 5.
What it means heading into the season
Winning this way against a club accustomed to competing in the EuroLeague is an important endorsement in preseason, especially for a newly promoted team. The team also minimized the influence of veterans like Martin Hermannsson or Jordan Ford.
With the tournament's third-place finish secured, Obradoiro returns home to prepare for its official debut: on Sunday, September 20, official presentation before their fans at Fontes do Sar against Unicaja.