Hiopos Lleida took a major step toward securing their spot in the Liga Endesa after defeating Surne Bilbao Basket 90-81 at the Barris Nord on Sunday, a hard-fought contest that was only decided in the final quarter.
**LLE 90 – 81 BBB**
A decisive 10-1 run by the Catalan side in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter proved crucial in overcoming the Basque visitors. Guard James Batemon led all scorers with 20 points.
Hiopos Lleida came out firing, opening the game with a 12-4 surge led by Adrià Rodríguez, forcing Ponsarnau to call an early timeout just four minutes in. The pause paid off for Bilbao Basket, as they quickly turned the tables thanks to a series of three-pointers from Justin Jaworski, flipping the score to 14-16 by the seventh minute. From there, the game remained tight, with both teams trading baskets, ending the first quarter at 25-26.
The second quarter began with similar back-and-forth action, but Hiopos Lleida regained the lead following a strong move under the basket by Atoumane Diagne (35-32, min. 14). The Basque side started missing from beyond the arc, allowing Hiopos Lleida, powered by James Batemon and Oriol Paulí, to build their biggest lead of the half at 46-37 (min. 18). The home team seemed poised to take a double-digit advantage into halftime, but a costly turnover on the boards allowed Martin Krampelj to score two quick baskets, including one just before the buzzer, trimming the margin to 54-48 at the break.
In the third quarter, Hiopos Lleida continued to edge ahead offensively, with Cameron Krutwig impressing with his footwork inside, keeping his team ahead at 61-55 (min. 25). The Catalans tried to pull away, but Darrun Hilliard stepped up for Bilbao, cutting the deficit to six points (66-60, min. 28). The visitors improved their offensive output late in the quarter, and two free throws from Melwin Pantzar brought the score to 69-67 heading into the final period, setting up a tense finish.
In the last 10 minutes, Bilbao Basket briefly went ahead after a driving layup by Harold Frey, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from the hosts to lead 71-73 (min. 32). Just when the Basque team looked in control, Hiopos Lleida rediscovered their best offensive form. A three-pointer from Caleb Agada sparked a decisive run, pushing the home side to an 81-74 lead (min. 37). Lleida held firm in the closing minutes, securing the 90-81 victory and their 11th win of the Liga Endesa season.
