Copa del Rey
18 February 2009
One of the arguably best basketball competitions that can be seen all around the world is about to start. Four days, eight teams, one champion. A crowd of more of 12.000 fans cheering from the stands, media from all around the world reporting about the tournament, TV channels from forty countries broadcasting the event, player agents, brand representatives, sixteen NBA scouts and the most Very Important People from the world of basketball will be present there. And, of course, on the court some of the best players of the world will be balling for the glory.
All this and much more is what the ACB’s Copa del Rey can offer to the true basketball lover. And it will take place this week from February the 19th to the 22nd in the Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid, Spain).
The eight teams that will take part in the Copa del Rey are Tau Cerámica, Regal FC Barcelona, Unicaja Málaga, DKV Joventut, Real Madrid, Kalise Gran Canaria, Pamesa Valencia and MMT Estudiantes. Quarter final, semifinal and final games; one game lost, and you are out.
DKV Joventut is the reigning champion, after beating Tau Cerámica in front of their fans of Vitoria last year. The current Trail Blazer Rudy Fernández was then proclaimed MVP of the tournament after leading his team to the victory through the three stages of the competition. Who will be his successor as the best player of La Copa?
There will be many players trying to lead their teams to the title, but two of them are young and talented enough to shine over the rest: Ricky Rubio and Sergi Llull.
Ricky can be already considered a veteran, though we must not forget that he is still only 18. At this age he already won La Copa del Rey last year together with Rudy, but in this edition it won’t be easy for him and his teammates to repeat. Rudy left to the NBA and Ricky is still recovering from an injury in his right wrist that caused him to miss three months of competition. However, he is already showing again his best basketball and almost at 100% of his level, and the eyes of the NBA scouts will be paying attention to what this young genius can do with the basket ball.
Sergi Llull will try to lead his team, Real Madrid, to the championship. Real Madrid is considered the best club in the history of Spanish basketball, but has not won La Copa since 1993. A very long time for this powerhouse that has in the young Llull a full load of renewed hope to win the tournament. Playing home, the fans will be singing the already famous chants of “Llull! Llull! Llull!” when this athletic guard shows his strong character on the court.
Regal FC Barcelona is another of the main candidates to the title. The star of the team is the former Memphis Grizzlies guard Juan Carlos Navarro, who will try to increase his title count after coming back to Europe.
But the favorite is Tau Cerámica. The team of Vitoria is the current leader of the ACB League, with just 2 games lost after 22 weeks of competition. Tau is playing great basketball and it will be hard for everybody else to beat them.
Unicaja will have its chances, leaded by the coach that achieved the silver medal with Spain in Beijing 2008. The team of Málaga will have to face easier math-ups in its way until the final. The surprising Kalise Gran Canaria will be its first rival. The Canarian team will try to beat a better team, but it will be hard for them. Pamesa Valencia and MMT Estudiantes will have fewer chances to advance past the quarter final games. Pamesa lost Víctor Claver -its best player- to an injury in November and he will miss the competition, but if the team plays with a high intensity can be the underdog of the tournament. MMT Estudiantes is having a hard season, and has been invited to the tournament because it is played in its hometown. The support of the fans will give them a chance to win games.
La Copa del Rey is ready and the world of basketball will be watching. Enjoy it!
Schedule (All times CET +01:00):
Thursday, 19th
Real Madrid – Regal FC Barcelona, 7 pm
Tau Cerámica – Pamesa Valencia, 9.30 pm
Friday, 20th
Unicaja – Kalise Gran Canaria, 7 pm
DKV Joventut – MMT Estudiantes, 9.30 pm
Saturday, 21st
First semifinal, 6 pm
Second semifinal, 8.30 pm
Sunday, 22nd
Final, 6.30 pm
All this and much more is what the ACB’s Copa del Rey can offer to the true basketball lover. And it will take place this week from February the 19th to the 22nd in the Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid, Spain).
The eight teams that will take part in the Copa del Rey are Tau Cerámica, Regal FC Barcelona, Unicaja Málaga, DKV Joventut, Real Madrid, Kalise Gran Canaria, Pamesa Valencia and MMT Estudiantes. Quarter final, semifinal and final games; one game lost, and you are out.
DKV Joventut is the reigning champion, after beating Tau Cerámica in front of their fans of Vitoria last year. The current Trail Blazer Rudy Fernández was then proclaimed MVP of the tournament after leading his team to the victory through the three stages of the competition. Who will be his successor as the best player of La Copa?
There will be many players trying to lead their teams to the title, but two of them are young and talented enough to shine over the rest: Ricky Rubio and Sergi Llull.
Ricky can be already considered a veteran, though we must not forget that he is still only 18. At this age he already won La Copa del Rey last year together with Rudy, but in this edition it won’t be easy for him and his teammates to repeat. Rudy left to the NBA and Ricky is still recovering from an injury in his right wrist that caused him to miss three months of competition. However, he is already showing again his best basketball and almost at 100% of his level, and the eyes of the NBA scouts will be paying attention to what this young genius can do with the basket ball.
Sergi Llull will try to lead his team, Real Madrid, to the championship. Real Madrid is considered the best club in the history of Spanish basketball, but has not won La Copa since 1993. A very long time for this powerhouse that has in the young Llull a full load of renewed hope to win the tournament. Playing home, the fans will be singing the already famous chants of “Llull! Llull! Llull!” when this athletic guard shows his strong character on the court.
Regal FC Barcelona is another of the main candidates to the title. The star of the team is the former Memphis Grizzlies guard Juan Carlos Navarro, who will try to increase his title count after coming back to Europe.
But the favorite is Tau Cerámica. The team of Vitoria is the current leader of the ACB League, with just 2 games lost after 22 weeks of competition. Tau is playing great basketball and it will be hard for everybody else to beat them.
Unicaja will have its chances, leaded by the coach that achieved the silver medal with Spain in Beijing 2008. The team of Málaga will have to face easier math-ups in its way until the final. The surprising Kalise Gran Canaria will be its first rival. The Canarian team will try to beat a better team, but it will be hard for them. Pamesa Valencia and MMT Estudiantes will have fewer chances to advance past the quarter final games. Pamesa lost Víctor Claver -its best player- to an injury in November and he will miss the competition, but if the team plays with a high intensity can be the underdog of the tournament. MMT Estudiantes is having a hard season, and has been invited to the tournament because it is played in its hometown. The support of the fans will give them a chance to win games.
La Copa del Rey is ready and the world of basketball will be watching. Enjoy it!
Schedule (All times CET +01:00):
Thursday, 19th
Real Madrid – Regal FC Barcelona, 7 pm
Tau Cerámica – Pamesa Valencia, 9.30 pm
Friday, 20th
Unicaja – Kalise Gran Canaria, 7 pm
DKV Joventut – MMT Estudiantes, 9.30 pm
Saturday, 21st
First semifinal, 6 pm
Second semifinal, 8.30 pm
Sunday, 22nd
Final, 6.30 pm
CHANGE REGION
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