BC MoraBanc Andorra Falls 89-95 to UCAM Murcia, Stays Tied at Bottom of ACB

BC MoraBanc Andorra suffered a narrow 89-95 home defeat to third-placed UCAM Murcia on Saturday, remaining tied with Dreamland Gran Canaria and Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos at 7-20 after matchday 27, with seven rounds left in the ACB League.

The match at Pavelló Toni Martí drew 3,356 fans, where Andorra led for much of the game, reaching a high of nine points up early in the third quarter (49-40). A 2-3 zone defense from coach Sito Alonso shifted momentum, alongside sharp shooting from David DeJulius (22 points) and Kelan Martin (20 points, including key triples). Andorra stayed competitive until late errors and free-throw disparities—Murcia had nine more attempts—sealed the result. Parciais were 22-28, 43-38, 66-66, 89-95. UCAM's Cacok fouled out with five infractions.

Standouts for Andorra included Oriol Pons (16 points), Aaron Best (15), Trae Evans (19), Justin Robinson Rice (10), and Artem Pustovyi (16 points, seven rebounds, 24 efficiency). Kyle Kuric scored zero with a -4 rating, while bench players like Castañeda (8) and McKoy (5) contributed. Coach Žan Tabak praised the effort against a physical foe but highlighted late lapses. "We have moments of basic errors in every game, and today they cost us," he said, urging defensive improvement. "We're not giving up—we're not dropping our pants." He noted the team's full roster availability, except Stan Okoye, had boosted options, though consistency remained key.

Gran Canaria lost 74-78 at Casademont Zaragoza, which now has nine wins despite an extra game. Burgos fell 94-99 at home to Río Breogán Lugo, led by Francis Alonso's 25 points despite Gonzalo Corbalán's 23. Coviran Granada escaped danger with an 83-71 win over Unicaja Málaga, now three victories clear and hosting Andorra this Sunday at 12:30.

Pre-match, Tabak had anticipated Murcia's multi-threat attack, comparing them to Valencia or Girona, and stressed collective response over individual plays. He valued fan support to make the arena a fortress.

Meanwhile, BC Andorra's second team, coached by Cristian Vegas, secured promotion to Copa Catalunya with a 74-61 road win over UB Sant Adrià B, finishing 22-1. Alexis Bartolomé led with 16 points alongside Bruno Bartolomé (13) and Cinto Gabriel (11). Vegas called it "a family, a tight unit, especially in tough moments," with a Primera Catalana Final Four ahead.