CB Canarias Youth Draw Barcelona in Minicopa Endesa Group Stage
Cajasiete Fundación CB Canarias youth team will face FC Barcelona, Casademont Zaragoza, and Tirma Gran Canaria in Group B of the Minicopa Endesa, running February 18-22 in Valencia.
The Cajasiete Fundación CB Canarias youth team, like their senior counterparts, recently found out who they will play in the group stage of the Minicopa Endesa. This tournament runs alongside the main Copa del Rey from February 18 to 22 in L'Alqueria, Valencia.
Coach Pablo Ramos's team is in Group B, alongside current champions FC Barcelona, Casademont Zaragoza, and Tirma Gran Canaria. The 'aurinegro' squad earned their spot in the final tournament late last year, after winning all their games in the preliminary phase held in the eastern city. Group A features Real Madrid, Unicaja Málaga, Occident Básquet Manresa, and the host team, Valencia Basket.
The tournament format remains unchanged. Teams in each group will play each other once. The top two teams from each group will then advance to the semifinals. Teams finishing third will play for 5th and 6th place, while fourth-placed teams will compete for 7th place. The full game schedule will be released by the ACB soon.
This will be the Cajasiete youth team's seventh appearance in the Minicopa Endesa final phase. They secured their spot with a perfect record in the preliminary stage. Coach Pablo Ramos's players showed excellent form, winning all three of their group matches. They started with victories against Morabanc Andorra (63-12) and Bilbao Basket (100-75). Then, in a crucial match between the two undefeated teams in Group B, the 'aurinegro' squad beat Unicaja Málaga 91-76. This win meant the young Canaristas qualified directly, avoiding an extra final round.
This 2026 tournament marks the seventh edition of this exciting competition, which brings together the country's top youth basketball academies. The 'aurinegro' team has a strong history in the event, having won silver medals three times (in Gran Canaria 2018, Madrid 2019, and Granada 2022). Last season, when the tournament was held in Gran Canaria, they finished in an impressive third place.
For the preliminary phase, the Canarista squad, made up of players born in 2012, included two guest players: Lucas Montelongo from CB Realejos and Manuel Machado from RC Náutico. Their inclusion is part of a collaboration agreement with these clubs.