Slovak basketball players also lost their fourth match in the qualification for the 2025 European Championship. On Monday, they lost to the home team of Spain in Ourense, 71:84, and are in the last place of the C-group table.
Photo: BRAIS LORENZO / EPA / Profimedia
Moment from the match Spain – Slovakia.
The Slovaks lost to the same opponent on Friday in Bratislava 72:76 after double overtime. The next qualifying duels await the Slovaks at the end of February. First, they will perform in Belgium (February 20) and finish their performance in the group at home against Latvia (February 23).
Spain – Slovakia 84:71 (47:32)
Spain’s most points: Yusta 25, Alocen and Guerra each 11. Slovakia: Brodziansky 19, Malovec 12, Pavelka 11, Abrhám 6, Volárik 3 (Ihring 8, Fusek 5, Majerčák 4, Szabó 3)
TH: 15/11 – 19/14, fouls: 20 – 20, three-pointers: 7 – 7, decided by: Proc (Poland), Mitrovski (S. Mac.), Jurčevič (Croatia), quarters: 22:18, 25: 14, 24:25, 13:14.
The Slovaks, even under the influence of absences and changes in the lineup, started with a different starting five, which was also reflected in the different course of the first quarter compared to Friday’s duel.
The Spaniards caught on offensively very quickly at home and were decorated with high shooting efficiency from the first minutes. Slovakia’s players, on the other hand, had to fight for points, but again they allowed the opponent too many offensive rebounds and second chances, which meant an increase in the deficit.
After the rest period, however, the Slovak side came up with a 7:2 stretch, thanks to which it was possible to pull back to an acceptable 18:22 after the first quarter. In the second part, Brodziansky in particular tried to turn the duel on the guests’ side, five minutes before the end of the first half he adjusted the difference to one attack – 28:31.
However, from this moment on, Spain took the initiative on the board, shut down Slovakia’s powerful weapons in defense and easily prevailed on the other side. The result was a 16:4 stretch and finally a 47:32 halftime lead.
The Slovaks had a great start to the second half, similar to the home performance against Spain. First, they recorded a 7-point streak, later, thanks to Abrhám, they even managed to get closer to the difference of a single basket – 47:49.
All this happened in just over four minutes. However, the local basketball players got out of this pressure without much trouble and in the course of a few attacks they regained a double-digit lead and control over the match. The score was 71:57 going into the last 10 minutes.
The Slovak team still tried to do something with the match, in some moments it managed to close the gap, but the Spaniards did not allow a similar drama as last Friday.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
