Several players impressed as the Spanish side grabbed its second successive win in the EuroCup.
Joventut showed against Besiktas that it is a team to be feared
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Regular Season
Round 10 of 18
Regular Season
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Besiktas Emlakjet IstanbulBJK
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Joventut BadalonaCJB
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Overview
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When Joventut Badalona had a 3-5 record after eight games in this season’s BKT EuroCup, there were all sorts of discussions going on about last year’s semifinalist. The injury bug hit Joventut hard, while a decision was made to cut ties with center Chinanu Onuaku prior to Round 6. So, with Carles Duran’s team having now won back-to-back games to improve to 5-5, should the rest of the EuroCup be worried?
The short answer: yes. Not only are several of Joventut’s injured players now available once again, but there appears to be a far better harmony among the squad. What’s more, the club’s injury crisis gave some of its young prospects – namely Ruben Prey, Jordi Rodriguez and Michael Ruzic – a chance to shine, which has further enhanced Coach Duran’s options.
Andres Feliz is the key
The best news of all has been the return of Andres Feliz. The Dominican Republic international missed Rounds 3 through 7, during which time Joventut went 2-3, and he showed against Besiktas Emlakjet Istanbul just why he is so crucial for the Badalona-based team. In an 81-85 victory in Round 10, Feliz scored a team-high 21 points, but he also contributed 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, which are all more than any other Joventut player.
Coming off a summer in which Feliz showed the world his talent at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, it seems the 26-year-old has taken a big step forward at club level as well. His energy on the court is infectious and, as he showed on multiple occasions against Besiktas, he is a player who makes winning plays. Joventut is a team with several high-level players, including Ante Tomic, Andrew Andrews and Deshaun Thomas, but Feliz has a habit of making himself stand out.
“It was a great victory for us – we needed it against a pretty good opponent,” Feliz said after Wednesday’s contest at BJK Emlakjet Sports & Event Hall. “They were playing at home in front of their crowd, so we managed to battle through that and we got a much-needed win.
“The love and the confidence the team shows in me is tremendous. I just want to give them all the credit, because without them I couldn’t have [played like this].”
Joventut has found its groove
With two wins in a row, Joventut has moved up to fifth place in the Group A standings, albeit tied with the same 5-5 record as Prometey Slobozhanske in sixth. There’s no denying that with most of its roster healthy, the Spanish team has the chance to continue its momentum in the next few weeks.
Joventut, if it plays to its potential, has the chance to rack up some more wins as it takes on Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (Round 11) and Umana Reyer Venice (Round 13) at home, with trips to Wolves Vilnius (Round 12) and Veolia Towers Hamburg (Round 14) also squeezed in. the games against Reyer and the Wolves, in particular, will not be easy, but Joventut should enter those fixtures as the favorite.
Then comes a tricky end to the season, as Joventut plays four of the six teams currently in the Group A playoff spots to close the season: the London Lions (Round 15) and Paris Basketball (Round 16) on the road, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv (Round 17) at home and then finally Prometey Slobozhanske (Round 18) in Latvia.
Therefore, continuing its momentum over the next few weeks is going to be crucial if Joventut is to achieve its first objective of reaching the EuroCup Playoffs. The good news for Coach Duran is that he now has Feliz making a strong case to be named in one of the All-EuroCup teams, while the likes of Andrews, Thomas, Tomic, Tyler Cook and Pep Busquets are all capable of making sizeable contributions.
Should everyone stay healthy, Joventut is a team that nobody in Group A is going to look forward to facing.