The Canarian derbies between Dreamland Gran Canaria and The Tenerife lagoon have developed into a continual saga of defeats for the Claretian team at the hands of the aurinegros, to the extent that the statistics are quite embarrassing and, in some way, perplexing for the yellow tide, who have witnessed their squad succumb to their rivals in 14 of the last 16 encounters, including their sole clash in the Copa del Rey.
It’s crucial to reflect not only on the latest defeat of Granca, which took place yesterday in the Arena, marked by yet another regional rivalry. The teams faced off at the seven palms venue, a situation perhaps exacerbated by a dejà vu reminiscent of past occurrences when both sides meet on the court.
What is most troubling is the apparent persistence of this negative trend, which seems to extend beyond just the coaches and players. Despite several alterations made to the Granca roster currently, the persistent dominance of their eternal rivals in head-to-head matchups remains unbroken.
Jaka Lakovic himself, speaking in the press room yesterday, struggled to find an explanation beyond the somewhat timid admission that “they have been superior”, further elaborating on the latest defeat by 67-70. He pointed out that his team’s three-point shooting percentage (24%) lagged behind that of their opponents (42%), which he believes played a significant role in this latest loss, the 14th in total.
Not for Carlos
It is noteworthy that the performance demonstrated by Dreamland Gran Canaria, despite the failings of the Claretian squad, was relatively commendable. The team entered the court clearly eager to secure a victory for their injured teammate, Carlos Alocén, who will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. The intensity and determination were notable this time, and while sheer heart can win many battles, so too does the exceptional intellect of Marcelinho Huertas, who proved crucial in the closing moments of the match, ensuring yet another success for the lagoon team.
Despite this improvement in mentality, it appears that while these derbies are of utmost significance to Tenerife, as indeed they ought to be, for the yellows, this match feels more like an essential contest against a direct rival, but ultimately, it remains just another game in the broader context.
Observing Fran Guerra perform like Hakeem Olajuwon, adept at snatching the ball from opponents, shows a desire and urgency to win that seems lacking in the Grancanarios. That passion instilled by Vidorreta creates a chasm in intensity, making each derby an unending tale with an unfortunate conclusion for the Claretian side.
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