Three Champions and a League Leader Knock on the Door of the Throne

With Salamanca and Valencia as the starting point, the LF Endesa semifinals will begin tonight, opening 96 hours of tension in which the two tickets to the final will be at stake. A prelude in which Perfumerías Avenida dreams of surprising Casademont Zaragoza from the start, and in which Valencia Basket will continue defending its throne against Spar Girona with one eye on the injury report

Valencia Basket will defend its status as the reigning league champion against a true title expert in Spar Girona, and Perfumerías Avenida will seek to recover its historic crown against Casademont Zaragoza, which has led the league with firmness. Three familiar foes and a major contender who will seek from tonight the first step toward the final with two vibrant opening matchups.

Casademont Zaragoza dreams of winning its first league title very soon, but to do so, the red-and-white team will have to overcome a demanding semifinal round that will take them to a completely unpredictable scenario on opening night. Because, on the other side of the court, Arnau Ferreres' team will face a Perfumerías Avenida that has been on the rise in recent weeks and backed by the confidence that comes from knowing they were able to overcome their quarterfinal round by winning the home-court advantage against them. This is why the Aragonese team will take the floor in Würzburg on maximum alert in a first game for which they will not be able to count on Helena Pueyo, who is pending evaluation, and in which they will have to maintain intensity and concentration for all 40 minutes if they don't want to see Anna Montañana's team take control of the series. A roster that has grown stronger in recent weeks and has made team defense its main strength heading into a series in which the blue tide wants to push their team from the start. That said, they will be monitoring until the last minute the physical status of Magarity, who is on the fence between being available or having to follow the game from the bench alongside the already usual absence of Claudia Soriano. All in an attempt to beat Casademont Zaragoza for the first time this season, a team that won both previous league matchups.

A game start that will overlap with the end of the match that will serve as the opening game of the semifinals at the majestic Roig Arena. Because on their home court, Valencia Basket will continue defending its throne as the reigning competition champion, hosting Spar Girona, which knows very well what it takes to lift the title. Two contenders for a final for which they may not arrive in their best form, but for which they will put their best version on the court to take the first step on Thursday night. And Roberto Íñiguez will be very attentive to the injury report in the hours leading up to the matchup to determine his final roster for a game in which Rubén Burgos could have his full squad available. The starting point for a series that will be the seventh consecutive final for a Valencia Basket that has been a regular in league finals over the last five years and that, to replicate its path, will have to prevail in the double matchup against a Girona team that has won both league games this season. A series that is expected to be intense on the court and long in its resolution, with two matchups that will keep the flame alive until the final buzzer at Fontajau.