Fuenlabrada boost survival hopes, Real go top

Peter Hanson

Fuenlabrada boost survival hopes, Real go top image

Montakit Fuenlabrada boosted their chances of avoiding relegation from Liga ACB by beating top-eight contenders Laboral Kutxa 91-83.

Andy Panko stole the show at the Polideportivo Fernando Martin as he finished with 23 points in Saturday's encounter in Fuenlabrada.

Josh Mayo and Daniel Clark contributed 19 and 17 points respectively as the hosts moved to within one win of 16th-placed Gipuzkoa Basket.

Laboral, who are sixth, remain in a strong position in their bid to clinch a play-off berth, while Valencia and Joventut firmed up their places with the former beating La Bruixa d'Or 84-81 and the latter seeing off Gipuzkoa 91-66.

Sevilla made it three wins from four matches in a surprise 75-70 triumph over high-flying Unicaja to move a step closer to safety.

Unicaja's loss was Real Madrid's gain a day later, as the capital team moved top of the table with a 78-52 success over Dominion Bilbao.

Facundo Campazzo scored 13 points, while Sergio Rodriguez also played a starring role with eight rebounds and seven assists.

Head coach Pablo Laso was thrilled with the win, telling Real's website: "It's really commendable that the team was at it from the first minute of the match.

"It was a game in which we had to push ourselves physically."

Barcelona struck a blow to Zaragoza's top-eight chances in a 103-67 rout, while Murcia's hopes of reaching the play-offs were dented in a 77-73 loss to MoraBanc Andorra.

Rounding off the action Movistar Estudiantes overcame Obradoiro 79-57.

 

 

 

Peter Hanson