HLA Alicante entered a season that looked almost unrecognizable from its recent past. The club faced a complete reset: no president, no sports director, no head coach, and a roster that needed to earn its place from scratch. In the spirit of a late eighties film, the team found itself in training mode, assembling a fresh squad ready to tackle the demanding LEB Oro landscape. The new leadership and emerging players carried themselves with a confidence that echoed the bravado of iconic movie characters, yet every decision was grounded in the realities of top-tier competition. The recruitment drive was brisk and purposeful, aiming to blend veteran instincts with youthful energy, so the squad could withstand the physicality and tactical depth that define the league. Brad Davison emerged as a linchpin, delivering precise outside shooting and relentless drive to the basket, while teammates adapted to his tempo, transforming offense into a sustained sequence of pressure that defenses found hard to break. Eugene Tackleberry-like discipline and an unwavering focus on defensive assignments gave Alicante a backbone, and the club’s training staff emphasized discipline, resilience, and a shared sense of mission that extended far beyond individual glory. The team’s character began to coalesce as everyone accepted their new roles, challenging themselves to operate with efficiency, intelligence, and a little swagger that kept critics on notice.
The narrative grew richer as the coaching and management puzzle slowly found its place, with each practice and scrimmage shaping a clear identity for the season. The squad carried the weight of a broader expectation: to establish a competitive cadence that could endure the grind of a long campaign and prove that the rebuild could yield tangible results. The parallels to a disciplined, mission-focused operation were evident, and the players responded with a remarkable blend of grit and composure. In the opening rounds, the level of commitment was unmistakable, as Alicante pressed from the opening whistle, hunted offensive rebounds, and converted crucial possessions into points. The opposition, including Rioverde Clavijo, faced a well-coordinated unit that understood its strengths and exploited every edge with precise execution. Clavijo’s initial trip to Alicante produced a heavy defeat, a near fifty-point margin that underscored how quickly a team can set the tone in a season’s first chapter. Yet that result also served as a catalyst, illustrating what worked and what needed adjustment. The memory of that setback fed the resolve to return the favor when the two teams met again on the road, a challenge that would test the Lions of Alicante in a different arena and under altered circumstances. The goal was clear: relive the 2012 momentum, when a home opener against Clavijo propelled Lucentum into a season of dramatic moments and a path toward promotion. The current squad aimed to recapture that spark, turning early adversity into a shaping force that would drive improvement in every facet of the game. Expectations from fans and analysts alike began to crystallize during those early days, signaling that a more experienced, cohesive unit was taking shape. The coaches stressed the importance of a strong start in Logroño, a city that has seen its share of dramatic basketball chapters, and the team responded with a dedication that bordered on meticulous execution. The mission, framed as a coordinated effort to build confidence, featured a steady cadence of practices, tactical reviews, and a shared determination to graduate with honors as the season unfolded. In this evolving story, the Cadets of the Lucentino cause stood ready to prove that their preparation would translate into on-court success, and that the challenge of the league could be matched with courage, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of improvement. The path ahead remained filled with tests, but the sense of purpose was undeniable, and the collective belief was that the best days were still to come.