CAB Estepona Jardín de la Costa del Sol secures a spot in the promotion final after thrilling win
The Estepona team beats Azul Marino Mallorca Palma 81-72 in a nail-biting game that was decided in the final minutes, with the La Lobilla crowd playing a key role.
CAB Estepona Jardín de la Costa del Sol secured its place in the promotion final to Liga Femenina on Saturday, defeating Azul Marino Mallorca Palma 81-72 in a match that wasn't decided until the final minutes. The La Lobilla crowd played a pivotal role, with the team overcoming a difficult second-half comeback to secure the win and a spot in the final.
The match, part of the playoff semifinals for promotion, started with a strong performance by the home team. CAB Estepona quickly went ahead with a 5-0 run, thanks to early points from Marina Gea and a three-pointer from Ruth Sherrill. However, the visitors quickly responded, with Gedna Capel and Jihyun Park leading Azul Marino Mallorca Palma in the opening minutes. Despite their efforts, Francis Tomé's team extended their lead with a 9-0 run, which helped them maintain the advantage.
The first quarter ended with a 21-12 lead for CAB Estepona, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Gea, which sent the La Lobilla crowd into a frenzy. The advantage held through the first moments of the second quarter, with the Granada native showcasing her skills again with an and-one play, followed by a technical foul on the visitors' coach, Alberto Antuña, for protesting the call. Despite the protest, Azul Marino Mallorca Palma didn't back down, and with a strong performance by María España, who scored a 2+1 and several other baskets, they closed the gap to 34-29.
The visitors managed to tie the game for the first time by the 20th minute, and the score was 36-34 at halftime. In the third quarter, the visiting team took their first lead of the game (36-42), but CAB Estepona quickly responded, regaining control and ending the quarter with a narrow 54-55 advantage.
In the final quarter, the game became even more intense. With the La Lobilla crowd acting as a sixth player, CAB Estepona managed to extend their lead (63-61) thanks to points from Alyssa Lawrence and Ruth Sherrill. The local team, supported by their fans, kept the advantage, and despite late attempts from Azul Marino Mallorca Palma, a basket from Sherrill with less than two minutes to go sealed the game at 81-72, securing the victory and the spot in the final.
With this win, CAB Estepona Jardín de la Costa del Sol advances to the promotion final, where they will face their next opponent in a game to be played this weekend at La Lobilla. The Estepona crowd, who showed unwavering support throughout the match, is hopeful that their team will secure promotion to Liga Femenina in what could be the perfect conclusion to Estepona's fair. The game is scheduled for tomorrow at 17:30, with the local fans already in full celebration mode.