Third win of the season. The team started strong against a disorganized Lucentum in Melilla, with Kostadinov lighting up the floor early. Yet as the minutes passed, the opponent grew more confident and matched the pace, guided by Alvarado. HLA dominated early on the court, winning their previous five games, but the final stretch brought a tense struggle after a 16-1 burst put Melilla close to victory. Gudmansson scored the decisive basket as time wound down, and Melilla missed a final three that could have forced overtime.
Melilla opened with a blitz of energy, and Kostadinov poured in ten points in the first three minutes. Monclova’s defense was briefly overwhelmed as the Bulgarian forward pressed the tempo. In just over four minutes, the scoreboard read 4-17, a dazzling start. Melilla regrouped quickly, answering with a 10-0 run to trim the gap to 14-17. Lucentum’s attack lost some of its early fluency as the defense tightened. The Caínzos brigade closed the first quarter with a mix of sharp play and stubborn defense, showing both the best and the rough edges of the opening period.
At the start of the second quarter, Melilla kept pressing, drawing within one point at 16-17. Gudmansson and Harris sparked a response that steadied HLA, yet Lucentum reclaimed control and built a double-digit margin. Kostadinov shielded the line with aggressive drives, keeping Melilla in the fight and halting Lucentum from widening the gap. A timeout from Cainzos followed a 26-32 score that favored Lucentum, but Alvarado’s presence in Melilla kept the visitors within reach. By halftime, Kostadinov had tallied 13 points in four minutes, and the scoreline had Lucentum ahead by just one point, a fragile balance that promised an electric finish.
Their shining majesty
Mar Galindo
After the break, Alicante found momentum with a 0-7 burst led by Gatell, but Melilla refused to surrender. The game stayed tight as HLA stepped up again and controlled key moments. A 39-50 edge gave Lucentum breathing room, yet Kostadinov and Gudmansson hit timely threes to keep the pressure on. The match took a dramatic turn as Melilla mounted a comeback, and Lucentum’s lead ebbed and flowed with every possession. HLA faced a fierce challenge in the final period, where Melilla’s 16-1 run turned a comfortable cushion into a one possession game. Davison answered with a decisive basket in the last minutes, easing the tension as the clock dwindled. The closing moments saw Melilla hit several three pointers under pressure, but Gudmanson steadied the ship and Melilla could not convert a final triple that would have tied the game. It was a dramatic third win in six days for the visitors, sealed in a nerve-wracking finish.
MELILLA
Marjanovic (3), Figueroa (0), Van Dike (14), Lepichev (11); Guillem Arcos (10), Mulero (6), Menéndez (2), Alvarado (6), Norelia (10), Galidiaskas (0), Varence (6) Tamulis (1)
HLA ALICANTE
Serrano (0), Harris (7), Davison (12), Gudmunsson (18); Bercy (7), Balint (0), Gatell (3), Adrián Rodríguez (0), Kostadinov (21), Barro (5), Hook (0).
PARTIAL 14-17, 17-15, 17-25 and 21-16
REFEREES: Muñoz García, Hurtado Almansa and Sanhermelando García.
PAVILION: Javier Imbroda.