HLA Alicante intensifies preparation with a busy pre-season schedule
HLA Alicante began its pre-season this Friday, 1 September, entering a fifth consecutive cycle in the second tier of national basketball, LEB Oro. The team will test itself against Movistar Estudiantes and Amics del Castelló, among others, playing these opponents twice during the summer preparation before the season starts.
Here is how the schedule has unfolded for the squad. Anthony Perez has stepped in for Rafael Monclova as the team readies its complex attack for the ACB season, which is set to open on 6 October. The season’s early week features a clash with Rioverde Clavijo on Friday at 20:45. Alicante fans will already be treated to five friendly matches throughout September as part of the build-up.
The renewed HLA Alicante project sprang to life with its first pre-season test in Gandía on the 9th, pitting the team against an EBA League opponent. One week later, Lucentum will travel to Cartagena to face FC Cartagena CB, a match that pits LEB Plata against regional rivals and serves as a key tune-up for the second block of pre-season games.
September 20 marks a significant date as the Foundation’s first team heads to Madrid for the summer term. The squad will visit the Magariños circuit to take on Movistar Estudiantes, one of the main candidates for promotion and a tough opponent after two prior attempts to return to the elite. The encounter represents a pivotal test for the Alicante club as it measures its progress against a proven-heavyweight.
September 23 sees Lucentum hit the court in the Valencian League final, held at the Saporta Pavilion, against Amics Castelló, a traditional rival of the Lucentum Foundation within LEB Oro. The match promises to be a high-intensity clash that fans will want to follow closely as the season nears its kickoff.
The grand finale of September comes with a home test for HLA Alicante. On the 30th at 6 p.m., the team returns to the Technology Center to face Movistar Estudiantes in a senior-level preseason showdown. This game serves as a barometer for the squad’s readiness ahead of the 2023-2024 basketball campaign. Lucentino supporters will have the opportunity to attend for free with their membership card as a final warm-up before competitive play begins this autumn.