With the Basketball Champions League concluded—Rytas Vilnius taking the title and Unicaja securing bronze against La Laguna Tenerife—the only competition left is the Liga Endesa. Amid a challenging stretch, the Malaga-based team received a boost on their tough road to the playoffs. Surne Bilbao’s loss to Hiopos Lleida, where former Unicaja player Melvin Ejim played a key role, kept the Andalusian side in eighth place.
Bilbao’s defeat was sealed in the final quarter as their offense stalled completely. What was a tight 71-73 game turned into a decisive 91-80 scoreline. Earlier, the contest had been highly competitive, with Bilbao resisting several local attempts to pull away. However, the strength of the Barris Nord crowd and Lleida’s defense proved decisive.
Melwin Pantzar, who will join Unicaja after this season, continued his strong form for Bilbao. He posted 18 points (4/5 on two-pointers, 2/6 on three-pointers, and 4/6 on free throws), five rebounds, two assists, and six fouls drawn for a PIR of 23 in 25:15 minutes. On the other side, ex-cajista Ejim contributed seven points, five rebounds, and three assists, particularly impactful in the final quarter to steer his team to victory.
Unicaja now holds a 16-13 record in eighth place, while Bilbao sits at 16-14 with one fewer game played. The Joventut-Unicaja match, postponed before the European Final Four due to issues with the video boards and clock, will resume on May 26 at the start of the third quarter, with Joventut leading 53-33.
The Lleida victory shifted Bilbao’s outlook. Three of their four remaining regular-season games are against top-tier opponents: Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, Bàsquet Girona, and La Laguna Tenerife. The first two are on the verge of the Euroleague Final Four, while Txus Vidorreta’s team may be fighting for seeding on the final day.
Thus, Unicaja once again controls its own destiny. Even if they lose the resumed match in Badalona against Joventut, they can still secure a playoff spot by winning their other games. This is the club’s sole remaining objective for the season, and they aim to carry the strong form shown against Tenerife in Europe into the final stretch of the Liga Endesa regular season.
