Canarias Falls to Zaragoza, Slips in Standings

Fundación CB Canarias suffered a defeat yesterday, losing 87-76 on the road to a strong Casademont Zaragoza side. Ronald Cómez's team showed spirit and determination, but it wasn't enough to overcome one of the U22 League's most in-form teams.

Despite an impressive performance from Dylan Bordón, who tallied 25 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds, and the black-and-gold squad's resilience in nearly closing a 17-point gap late in the game, they couldn't beat an opponent that dominated rebounding (43 to Canarias' 30) and boasted quality players across all positions.

The Tenerife team, missing the injured David Acosta Moliné inside, played inconsistently. While they showed glimpses of their potential and never gave up, it wasn't enough to secure a win against the Aragonese team, who clinched their fifth consecutive victory. This result means Zaragoza overtakes Canarias in the standings, moving into second place from their shared third spot, pending the completion of the eleventh round on Saturday.

Canarias got off to a poor start, immediately struggling against Lucas Langarita's skill. He scored eight points in an early 11-0 run (making it 18-6), forcing the Canaristas to play catch-up from the beginning.

Turnovers by the islanders led to fast breaks for the hosts, who also dominated inside with Traoré and Keita, capitalizing on offensive rebounds for second-chance points (25-10 by the 10th minute). It wasn't until the second quarter that the black-and-gold team found a better rhythm.

A couple of crucial three-pointers from Rafa Rodríguez and Dylan Bordón's incisive drives sparked an 11-0 run (28-21), allowing Canarias to cut the deficit before halftime. With the Argentinian showcasing his offensive skills, the islanders went into the break trailing by nine (45-36).

After the locker room break, the Tenerife team made several attempts to turn the game around. They narrowed the gap right at the restart (47-44, after good plays by Diego Fernández, Xabi López, and Mohamed Sangaré); they did it again midway through the third quarter (53-50, following a three-pointer from Alejandro Guerra); and even in the final stretch, when the home team seemed to have pulled away for good (79-62 in the 36th minute).

In a rollercoaster finish, the black-and-golds showed the determination to try and overcome that 17-point deficit with a strong late surge (81-76, after a great basket by López). However, Casademont, playing more consistently, didn't allow themselves to be surprised and secured the win with free throws.