‼️RAILWAY ARRIVES "PLUGGED" TO MARKINA
⚾️1st day Grand Slam Gernika
BARANDIKA-ZABALA vs URKO-BASQUE: 15-7, 15-9
OLHARAN-LEKERIKA vs AARON-LOPEZ: 15-12, 15-12
📌Barandika arrives confident at the final this afternoon in Markina
📌Good role from Aaron, despite the defeat
📌Lekerika gets his first win after injury
With less than 20 hours to rest, Barandika will jump onto the Markina-Xemein court this afternoon after winning the first match of the Gernika Grand Slam last night. It is the second victory that he has achieved with Zabala in five days. In Biarritz they beat Olharan and Lekerika, and in Gernika Urko and Basque. The latter made quite a few errors in the first set but settled in the second. They arrived tied at nine in the last leg of the match with the possibility of forcing a tiebreaker, but Barandika's start took the Colorados to fifteenth card, with six goals in a row.
"The objective was not to relax, but to score an important victory in the league" stated the Gernikarra. Facing the final in Markina-Xemein, the strategy is clear: "you have to avoid Erkiaga and hopefully not get many rebounds either. Let's see if I hit the serve". Barandika's basket suffered a small break and is currently in the hands of "master" Lekue to fix it and set it up for the final in Markina.
In the second match, an important victory for Lekerika after his injury and after three consecutive defeats: Markina-Xemein, Biarritz and Donibane-Lohitzune (St. Jean de Luz). One more game to pick up the pace and a win that will help him gain confidence. To this day, López has a great distance from all his opponents in the rear. The man from Zumaia played with the young Aaron González de Matauko and even if they lost 2-0, this couple has a chance to enter the semifinals.
Aaron served well. He has power. He delays the backhand ball well. He rebounded correctly. He did not make many mistakes and was prudent but successful in the shot: he scored eight goals, some of them beautifully made, shooting baskets early and opening the two side walls a lot. The player from Alava is not used to playing at this level but he was calm and did not show any signs of nerves. Of course, the person in charge of finishing the game was Lekerika. Two walls from the right, arms up and the entire "Leke Crew" up from their seats, chanting the well-known chant "Leee-ke-rika-beaskoaaaa" to the beat of the White Stripes.
On the second day of the Gernika Grand Slam, Goikoetxea-Manzi and Erkiaga-Del Rio enter the competition.
