Bilbao has won all four preseason games by employing the same formula: distribute scoring among many players and punish opponents when they run out of gas. At Mendizorroza, it worked again. 85-99 over Baskonia, Euskal Kopa in hand, and six players in double figures.
Two teams in different moments
The difference came down to rhythm and available players. Jaume Ponsarnau's squad arrived with a full roster and four games under their belt; Paolo Galbiati's team came with injuries and relied on individual talent to stay in the game.
The first quarter, nonetheless, belonged to the home team. A basket-plus-one and solid one-on-one play from Damion Baugh flipped the scoreboard for the first time, and Martin Krampelj had to keep Bilbao afloat when Baskonia caught fire. 22-19 for the blue and reds.
The second quarter decided everything
Foul trouble punished Vitoria's rotation, and Bilbao capitalized immediately with a 2-15 run to start the quarter. Darrun Hilliard and Adam Somogyi's accuracy stretched the lead to ten points by the 17-minute mark, and although AJ Lawson's activity brought Baskonia back into it, a three-pointer from Hilliard himself closed the first half at 34-46.
After halftime, a 0-6 run pushed the lead to eighteen points. Chris Duarte, making his game debut, answered with ten straight points, but three three-pointers from Nate Darling kept the lead above ten and prevented the home team from gaining momentum.
The fourth quarter started at 60-74 and the script never changed. Bastien Vautier found no resistance in the paint, and Baskonia finished without energy, trying to chip away through individual talent.
The numbers
Darling and Vautier finished with 17 points each, joined by Hilliard (14), Margiris Normantas (13), Krampelj (13), and Tryggvi Hlinason (12). Six players in double figures—exactly the hallmark this team has been showing all summer.
For Baskonia, Chris Duarte led the way with 22 points and Elijah Stewart added 13.
What it says about each team
For Bilbao, four wins in four games and the feeling of a complete team. They debut in the Liga Endesa at home against Manresa and will have ten open matches on ETB1 this season.
For Baskonia, the fourth warning sign in a week that the center position remains unresolved. They lost Khalifa Diop, claimed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, have been negotiating with Alex Len for days, and inquired about Michael Ruzic. Last Saturday they finished a game without centers due to fouls, and this Tuesday they came up short again in the paint.