No matter how keen Gran Canaria may be to display affection for its supporters during regional rivalry matches, it appears that unless Tenerife accommodates them, and allows joy to flourish on home ground, the Canary Islands will continue to be coloured Aurinegro following Chicharreros’ eleventh triumph in the last twelve derbies played.
The final scene from one of the stands, filled with 300 intrepid fans from the neighbouring island, celebrating the victories of their team against Gran Canaria, encapsulates the essence of the past five years in these contests: “Let the lagoon echo!” “Canary Islands, Canary Islands and no one else!” This resonated throughout the Claretian arena.
This time, the Tenerife squad did not rely solely on Shermadini (12 points) and Marcelinho (10 assists), who typically deliver outstanding performances against Dreamland. Instead, the Chicharrero team, featuring four players scoring in double digits, demonstrated that they remain the Goliath facing a David that repeatedly collides against an impenetrable wall (67-70).
On the Claretian side, the duo of pivots Conditt IV and Mike Tobey shone, each contributing 13 points and shouldering the scoring burden throughout the contest.
The yellow team is now on a sixth consecutive loss and is beginning to fall behind in the Endesa League standings, having stagnated at ten victories three days ago, while their current rivals have reached thirteen, alongside the leaders Valencia and Unicaja.
As the first round
The derby commenced in a manner even worse than that of the first league round, with the first quarter concluding with Tenerife enjoying a greater lead than in Santiago Martín. At Seven palms, the opening quarter ended 12-21, thanks to Joan Sastre, who scored the last eight Aurinegro points, netting two three-pointers just as the possession horn sounded.
Txus Vidorreta’s squad had the advantage in shooting, with more rebounds collected in the first ten minutes—ten for them compared to just four for the Claretians. This created numerous second-chance opportunities, allowing Tenerife to build confidence from the outset and maintain a sense of control throughout the match.
However, the distribution of fouls was punishing for the home team, especially Homesley, who was expected to provide a rest for Albicy in the base position. Yet, after accumulating two fouls in merely three minutes, he had to retreat to the bench, placing greater responsibility on Jovan Kljajic than throughout the season so far.
But as with all things in life, perseverance is key; little by little, one can change the situation.
Lakovic managed to disrupt the laguneros’ rhythm by employing a lengthy rotation, utilising eleven players in the second quarter.
The pivots particularly excelled during this period, with both Mike Tobey and George Conditt scoring four points and successfully defending against Shermadini and the Massamba Diop squad.
They effectively wrested control of the rebounding battle, achieving a 12 to 5 advantage in this segment, which facilitated a partial score of 18-11, bringing the tally to 30-32 at the break.
The first half concluded with Dreamland scoring from inside; they made seven more shots than their opponent from the area, while Vidorreta relied on Joan Sastre’s 11 points and Marcelinho’s impressive five assists.
The essence of excitement
Gran Canaria recognised the need to play five against five and to circulate the ball effectively in order to exploit their opponent’s defensive weaknesses without succumbing to despair during the initial bursts of lagunero inspiration.
Consequently, they focused on baskets near the opposing ring, with Conditt and Tobey steadily accruing points. Particularly, a 2+1 by the Puerto Rican allowed Dreamland to regain a lead on the scoreboard, bringing it to 42-41 by the 26th minute.
Nevertheless, the home side’s resurgence reignited Tenerife’s pace, unveiling the formidable duo of Marcelinho and Shermadini, who accounted for 11 points by the conclusion of the third quarter, placing them at 44-49 ahead in the pavilion.
Throughout the final quarter, there was a consistent exchange between the two gladiators, with neither team managing to pull away by more than three points in the closing moments of the derby.
Despite Gran Canaria’s unwavering efforts to turn the tide of the derby trend, the final possessions did not soothe their nerves, particularly when Conditt had brought the score to 62-61 with just a minute and 55 seconds remaining.
Fran Guerra capitalised on the opportunity to redeem himself against the club that had never acknowledged his potential, scoring two of the last three Aurinegr baskets, solidifying the final score at 67-70.
