MoraBanc Andorra Falls 83-85 to Burgos, Teeters on Liga ACB Relegation Edge

MoraBanc Andorra suffered a narrow 83-85 defeat to Recoletas Salud San Pablo Burgos at Pavelló Toni Martí, leaving the team on the brink of relegation from the Liga ACB with just two games remaining.

The loss, witnessed by 3,698 spectators, saw Andorra squander several late opportunities. A poor first quarter ended 14-27 after early nerves and turnovers allowed Burgos to pull ahead. Andorra rallied with a 16-5 run in the second period, tying the score at 41-41 by halftime thanks to triples from Okoye and Best, plus a buzzer-beater from Kuric. The third quarter remained tight at 64-63, but momentum shifted when pivot Artem Pustovyi fouled out with 1:47 left, enabling Burgos' Moses Happ to dominate inside with 19 points.

Key players struggled in the clutch: Shannon Evans II missed two critical threes, Sir'Jabari Rice faltered on a game-winner with 8.6 seconds remaining, and Kuric and Justin McKoy managed just two points each. Scoring leaders for Andorra were Best and Okoye with 13 points apiece, alongside Pustovyi's 12. Burgos got 19 from Happ, 16 from Samuels, and 10 each from Corbalán and Heidegger. Officials Carlos Peruga, Fernando Calatrava, and Alberto Sánchez Sixto drew complaints, with Andorra attempting 14 free throws to Burgos' 25.

Now with a 9-23 record, MoraBanc sits in the relegation zone, tied on wins with Casademont Zaragoza (one game in hand) but trailing on head-to-head, while Dreamland Gran Canaria holds 10 victories. Granada is already relegated, and Burgos nears safety. Andorra no longer controls its fate, having lost tiebreakers to Zaragoza and Gran Canaria but holding an edge over Burgos. Survival requires winning both remaining fixtures—away at Hiopos Lleida on Sunday at 12:30 (Barris Nord) and home against Barça on May 29—plus stumbles from rivals. A loss in Lleida combined with wins for Zaragoza (vs. UCAM Murcia) and Gran Canaria (vs. BAXI Manresa) would confirm mathematical relegation to Primera FEB. Multiple ties, however, could favor Andorra.

Coach Žan Tabak remained defiant post-game, rejecting talk of failure. "We started with nerves but competed throughout," he said, stressing the need to "get up" for the final two matches, each as vital as the Burgos clash. He highlighted Pustovyi's absence as decisive—"there's a big difference with him on court"—and ongoing issues like poor three-point shooting (29% vs. usual 34-35%) and finishing. "No rival has walked over us since I arrived. We always compete," Tabak added, eyeing the tough Lleida trip amid their Aplec del Cargol celebrations. Hiopos, under Gerard Encuentra, secured safety early and features ex-Andorra forward Oriol Paulí, who vowed a strong home showing.

Player Rafa Luz echoed the sentiment: "We can't rely on math—we must win both." Teammate Kostas Kostadinov urged maximum effort against a celebratory Lleida crowd.