MoraBanc Andorra Falls 89-95 to UCAM Murcia in Liga ACB Thriller, Stays in Relegation Zone

MoraBanc Andorra fell 89-95 to UCAM Murcia in a Liga ACB home clash at Pavelló Toni Martí, dropping to 7-20 and remaining in the relegation zone despite their most complete performance under coach Žan Tabak.

The Tricolors led 43-38 at halftime after a dominant 15-0 second-quarter surge driven by Artem Pustovyi and Andrew Evans. They traded blows in the third, entering the final period tied at 66-66. Murcia pulled ahead late, exploiting Andorra's turnovers, shooting lapses, and disputed referee decisions—including a controversial final possession call—with David DeJulius scoring 22 points and Kelan Martin adding 20 on five threes. Tonye Cacok fouled out for the visitors, while Jaylen Hands contributed nine in his debut. Andorra's top performers included Evans (19 points), Pustovyi (16), Aaron Best (15), Dylan Rice (10), Oriol Pons (8), and McKoy (5). Attendance reached 3,356.

Post-game, Tabak praised the near-full roster—missing only Stan Okoye—for reducing "yellow minutes" of ball losses and providing matchup options against physical sides like Valencia or Girona. He noted offensive gains but stressed defensive shortcomings: the team must balance scoring outbursts with backcourt solidity, as Murcia's spread-out threats exposed gaps. The coach defended his direct, private approach to player feedback, avoiding public callouts, and emphasized eliminating basic errors in crunch time. "We're not giving up or dropping our trousers," he said, urging calm amid recurring lapses like those in the late third quarter. He contextualized the loss against the league's third-place side, one of its top defenses and offenses.

Pre-game previews highlighted Murcia's form under Sito Alonso—fourth in scoring at 90 points per game, second in rebounding at 37.65—despite missing Dylan Ennis for the season. Chumi Ortega, the 28-year-old Yecla native who debuted in the ACB with Murcia under Fotis Katsikaris in 2016, viewed the matchup emotionally but stressed urgency. "Playing against UCAM Murcia brings back nice memories of my beginnings—I'm here thanks to them," he said ahead of the game. Ortega credited the recent Lugo road win, sealed by Best's clutch three for "fresh air," with boosting morale for the final eight "finals." He noted tiebreakers against Zaragoza and Gran Canaria would prove pivotal, with wins needed "like food," and praised ex-teammate Hands' talent.

Best reinforced the fight: "Survival is possible, but only if we compete at the limit." He focused on daily intensity, home support, and details over victory targets, sidestepping earlier comments from president Gorka Aixàs.

A casino.org AI model gives Andorra 47.9% survival odds across 1,000 simulations. Upcoming road games at Granada and Tenerife loom large.

In club news, MoraBanc Andorra's senior B team secured the league title with a 74-61 win at UB Sant Adrià B, earning a Copa Catalunya berth at 22-1. Coach Cristian Vegas praised the group's unity.