The Champions Cup had been held up by Ilunion for the last nine years. They had not reached the final for four years and since 2017 they had not been proclaimed champion. That’s why the victory in the final against the Thuringia Bulls of Germany by 72-85 It is not just another title for the Madrid team, which already has 46 in its cabinets. It was confirmation that his champion DNA is still there. Those of Víctor Ramos recover the European throne and conquer the fourth Champions League in its historyafter those of 1997, 2016 and 2017 with a stellar Terry Bywater (24 points).
After come back in the semi-finals against Amaib Albacete –champion of the last four Champions Leagues, Ilunion took to the court at the GOFit Vallehermoso basketball pavilion in Madrid with the firm intention of get rid of the thorn against the Thuringia Bulls, the team that in 2018 and 2019 left them without a European title in the final and that stands out above all for being an eminently external team. The time for revenge had arrived.
Gregg Warburton, in the final against Thuringia Bulls.
The match started very even, with Pincho Ortega leading the Madrid attack. Ilunion’s first three baskets were theirs, but from 7-6 in favor of the Thuringia Bulls they dominated in the paint and outside of it. The Germans, with Halouski as undisputed leaderthey expanded the advantage (16-10). The reaction of the Spanish was immediate. The baskets of Warburton and Diallounited to Giant Jasso in defense grabbing one rebound after another, allowed Ilunion to tie the game (16-16). A Warburton ‘Machine Gun’ basket, as fast as always accuratewith 26 seconds remaining allowed Ilunion to finish the first quarter with a minimal advantage (21-22).
Bywater unfolds its magic
“Yes, you can!” cheered the yellow tide in the stands of GOfit Vallehermoso. In the second half, Víctor Ramos rotated the bench and Terry Bywater and Charlotte Brown enteredthe combination that gave him such a good result in the semifinal against Amiab, replacing Amadou Diallo and Dani Stix. Bywater brought out his magicwhich for decades made Ilunion so great, and it was a steamroller. Everything that passed through his hands he converted: two-pointers, three-pointers, free throws… Thirteen points scored in the second quarter.
On the part of Thuringia, Halouski, Lindén and Gholamazad countered the Madrid attacks. In the final stretch before the break, Ilunion’s lack of success and the defensive pressure of the Germans took effect and Thuringia went into the locker room ahead on the scoreboard (42-39).
Pincho Ortega, before a Thuringia Bulls player.
Ilunion is a steamroller
After the break, Ramos rotated again and put the four towers on the court: Latham, Jasso, Pincho and Diallo along with Charlotte Brown. The first five minutes were very even. When Thuringia was only one up (52-51), Ramos brought on again Bywater and Warburton by Pincho and Amadou. Ilunion began to set the pace and take the initiative. The public turned GOfit Vallehermoso into a small ‘Bombonera’ and the people of Madrid came out on top, encouraged by their fans. The Latham and Bywater duo was lethal and took their team into the final quarter with a lead of six up (56-62). The fourth was closer.
Bill Latham shooting a basket in the Champions League final against Thuringia Bulls.
In the decisive quarter, the intensity did not drop one bit with an Ilunion that was close to achieving the only title that eluded it last season. Jasso was an octopus under the hoopboth in his own field and in the opponent’s field, grabbing the rebounds. The Madrid team was comfortablemoved the rival at will, and reached his maximum advantage of the match (60-68). Meanwhile, the Germans couldn’t keep up, they failed under the basket and they were deflating like a sugar in water. The coach of the German team called a timeout with 5:46 remaining. Meanwhile, Manolo Escobar’s ‘Que viva España’ was heard on the public address system.
Ilunion had its fourth Champions League within reach. Their champion DNA was imposed in all facets of the game and the advantage was increasing. With 3:11 remaining, they led by 12 (64-76). I couldn’t let it escape. And he didn’t. The Spanish team had managed to completely eliminate its rival from the game, unable to keep up with the pace it was setting. With 43 seconds left, the crowd stood up to applaud Bywater, who was replaced by Warburton. The match was already won. Ilunion recovered the European throne nine years later. Spain, for the fifth consecutive year, reigns in Europe.
