The Cup, insufficient culmination for Mideba’s great campaign

The Copa del Rey in Malaga last weekend has left bitter feelings in a Mideba with an almost immaculate career in a season that is already over. A fourth place after losing the consolation final against Albacete that seems scarce loot for the team from Badajoz, which this course has once again shown that it remains in the elite of Spanish wheelchair basketball. After solving the commitment against Amfiv Vigo, the midfielders fell too resoundingly (68-50) against a Bilbao BSR that arrived at the cup event at a better time after an almost perfect second round of the championship. It is noteworthy that the two great candidates, Mideba and Albacete, got off the train early and neither reached the expected final between them, a final that Bilbao, his executioner, would win.

«We knew that Bilbao would be a difficult match, but we did not expect that final difference in the scoreboard, it was too much. It is true that we arrived very fair physically, for example Phil Pratt had an injured right hand finger and had to force. It has already happened to us in other seasons, that when we have to push at the end we have a short squad and that shows as soon as there are physical problems. But it is not an excuse, we should have rowed more, “comments coach Jorge Borba.

But the poor result of the KO tournament cannot tarnish a fantastic season in which the Extremadurans staged a high duel against none other than the European champion Albacete, who needed to pull the basketaverage to tip the balance because the two ended up with the same balance of wins and losses (19-3). “We have been very consistent throughout the league. No team has beaten us by more than 10 or 12 points. We leave the Cup with a bad taste in our mouths, but the season has been spectacular, although the injuries, the setbacks, in the end take their toll on you with such a short rotation. In Gran Canaria we had some casualties and we fell, while here, with the whole team, we beat them without problems. We have competed face to face with Albacete, which has a squad of twelve players who would be starters for all the teams”, continues Jorge Borba who will travel with the Spanish Under 22 team to Thailand in September for the World Cup. Badajoz is the second coach of the national team.

Borba regrets that the league outcome in the Division of Honor took place with such a small margin, because, as he affirms, it is not the same that they beat you in a Final Four than by basket average. And more in a last day of transistors in which anything could happen despite being a competition little given to surprises. «From Vigo we had our game solved and we followed the result of Malaga because Albacete was winning only by two or so for a long time, but in the last minutes they escaped and it screwed up a bit».

Phil Pratt is leaving

Now it’s time to rest, turn the page and plan the next season. Borba has yet to speak with the president of Mideba Extremadura, Manuel Antonio Díaz. On the table, several issues. On the one hand, to reinforce the squad, and more so considering that one of his basic pieces, Phil Pratt, is leaving after four seasons in which he has performed at a magnificent level as the best assistant in the league given his extensive knowledge of the game. His teammates will miss him. Salvador Sandoval and Jhon Hernández are staying, which is good news. The other point to be discussed is the possibility of the club returning to Europe, from which it has been separated for several campaigns due to budget cuts. “It is a shame to have to resign when we have that right and it would be nice for the city. Hopefully Badajoz can host a competition to make it cheaper. It depends on the club and the aid we have, “closes the coach.