Spain claimed a narrow 61-59 victory over Bulgaria in their MT20WC European subregional Group C clash on Monday. The result keeps Spain top of the standings with a perfect record from four matches.
And here's the thing — Spain had already secured their position at the summit before this encounter. They sit eight points clear of anyone else in the group after winning all four games. Bulgaria meanwhile remain fourth with just two points from four outings.
To be fair, the margin tells only part of the story. Spain came into this fixture having beaten Finland 135-131 just a few days earlier, so they knew tight matches could go either way. Bulgaria's recent form has been difficult, with heavy defeats against larger nations including a 177-88 loss to Isle of Man.
By then, Spain's consistency had become their defining feature. They've now won four consecutive matches, including a marathon double-header against Croatia in December where they played two games on the same day.
The result means Spain maintain their unbeaten run through Group C. Bulgaria's defeat extends their winless streak to three games, though they've at least kept the score respectable compared to previous encounters.