Cartagona saw off Iruña 93:86 in the L.E.B. Plata on Friday evening, keeping their campaign on track at home. The result leaves the hosts moving forward in the standings while the visitors, sitting third after 26 games, dropped two points from what looked like a straightforward assignment.
Iruña came into the fixture with a solid record — 17 wins from 26 outings — but the visitors could not match the tempo set from the opening tip. We had called for a home victory with 73 per cent confidence, and here's the thing: the visitors let the tie slip without much of a fight, never really finding their rhythm after the first quarter.
The hosts built their lead through consistent execution rather than spectacular moments. Iruña responded with flashes of their own, particularly in the second half, but they never got out of second gear when it mattered. The visitors came for a cross he never reached in the final minutes, and that miss summed up an evening where they were always a fraction behind.
By then the scoreline told its own story — 93:86 is not a close finish, and it reflected the way the game played out. Cartagona's recent form had shown vulnerability away from home, with losses to Tyson Burgos, Palencia Baloncesto and Fuencarral, but at home they put together a performance that looked comfortable from start to finish.
Iruña's last five outings tell a mixed picture. They beat Huesca 103:75 at home but lost to Albacete twice, and their visit to Valladolid ended 100:84. The visitors are closing in on a deal for the playoffs, but this result means they must now focus on the remaining fixtures without losing momentum.
To be fair, the visitors showed character in parts of the match, but they gifted the goal on too many occasions when the defense was not set. The hosts ended a barren spell of scoring in the final quarter, and that difference was enough to secure the victory.
