There are games that are worth a win, and others that measure how far a team can go. In the case of UCAM Murcia CB, they have long shattered their own ceiling, especially this season. After breaking several records and surpassing their highest number of wins in a single ACB campaign with four rounds left, the university side still wants more. From second place in the standings, they lead the group fighting for a top seed in the Liga Endesa playoffs. Tomorrow, they face Baskonia at the Buesa Arena in one of those matches that could carry even greater significance.
In one of the most demanding venues in the competition, Sito Alonso’s men will test their excellent form. This new chapter opens with a special storyline: the reunion of Sander Raieste with the Buesa Arena. The Estonian forward returns to Vitoria for the first time since leaving last summer. He joined Baskonia in 2017 and developed as a player there, spending nearly a decade with the club. During that time, he played 200 games and proved himself a team player, always adapting to the needs of one of the ACB’s powerhouse clubs. However, his stint in Vitoria ended last summer, and the transfer of Rodions Kurucs from UCAM Murcia to Baskonia accelerated the move.
The Murcia club went after Raieste to fill the void left by the Latvian at the forward position. They bet on his profile and shed the label of a secondary, under-the-radar role player he had in Baskonia. And the gamble has paid off remarkably well. In his first adventure away from Vitoria, Sander Raieste landed on his feet in Murcia from the very start.
His rebounding ability has made him one of the best in the ACB in that area throughout the season—particularly on defensive boards—and his offensive contribution has also been vital for a UCAM Murcia that had to work extra when a mid-March adductor muscle injury sidelined him for nearly a month.
Raieste’s weight in intangibles—a term coaches love—is beyond question. Before his injury, the forward was grabbing 17% of the rebounds and was essential for defensive balance. Long balls that bounced off the rim after opponents’ shots almost always ended up in his hands. In those situations, the team could run fast breaks and get easy baskets. Thus, his impact was more qualitative than quantitative. The numbers are clear.
Nearly four weeks have passed since Raieste’s return from injury, a period that has allowed the Estonian to regain both his feel and the level he had shown before. In matches against Morabanc Andorra, La Laguna Tenerife, Real Madrid, and Bàsquet Girona, he has gradually increased his minutes and prominence, back with UCAM Murcia sitting second in the standings after round 30.
Now he crosses paths with Baskonia again. They faced off last October at the Palacio, where he was a key contributor with 5 points and 7 rebounds in a 89-84 win for the Murcia side. As a result, UCAM holds a five-point advantage in the point differential before tomorrow’s clash.
Will Falk undergoes surgery
Sander Raieste’s contribution takes on even more importance for the Baskonia game, following news that Will Falk had to undergo emergency surgery due to an infected sebaceous cyst on his left glute. He will be out for 10 to 15 days, missing the matches against Baskonia and Unicaja Málaga on Sunday at the Palacio.
Thus, Sito Alonso will have a slightly shorter rotation at the small forward position, with only Howard Sant-Roos and Raieste available for these games. UCAM is also monitoring the right shoulder discomfort that center Devontae Cacok has been dealing with, which caused him to miss the match against Bàsquet Girona last Saturday due to post-traumatic arthritis in the joint.