The club from Murcia yesterday carried out the innovative initiative ‘The recreation game’, inviting all schools in the region to be present at the palace
Great succes. Yesterday UCAM played its most massive game of the season, in front of nearly 7,500 spectators of the friendliest audience possible: girls and boys from primary to secondary school who came from all over the Region of Murcia to live an unprecedented excursion and in complete exclusivity .
To please their devoted crowd, the UCAM players split into two teams, the red and the white, playing an informal game that had it all. Even with new rules, such as the validity of five points for a last shot from the center of the field that allows the red team to send the game to extra time (53-58). With ‘speaker’ to keep attendees, ‘cheerleaders’ and mascot connected at all times, nothing was the difference in everything that surrounded basketball from an official league game. And, of course, competitions and games to engage the schoolchildren, who vibrated with their team and with the music that enlivened the morning, singing at the top of their lungs last summer’s greatest hits, session number 52 of Bizarrap with the canary Quevedo, or ‘ Despechá’, by Rosalia.
A practice game where the defense did not act (wasn’t expected), only three fouls were called and in which many spectacular actions were played. For everyone except the orderly Bellas, the only one to leave without scoring a basket. “They’re hickeys, they don’t fit the ball,” he complained, laughing. As a member of the winning white team, he acknowledged in a semi-professional tone that “we suffered on the scoreboard, but this hobby has carried us on the wings.”
The faces of the UCAM players said it all. Bellas, who shares the title of ‘grandfather’ of the team with McFadden at age 35, spoke of “one of the best experiences I’ve ever had”. A preparation for Saturday’s game against Gran Canaria is considered “without a doubt the best”. And it is that, just as when the body does not respond, it is time to put it in the hands of the physiotherapist, the decline of courage of the Murcia team in recent weeks has found in an event like yesterday “the positive energy we need,” says Nemanja Radovic, who is “very happy to see so many children having such a good time”, and who acknowledges that, although he knew the pavilion would fill up, “it has exceeded my expectations. Hopefully many of these kids can come on Saturday and we dedicate a victory to them.”
Andronikashvili made his debut in front of his new fans and Luther returned to the court, but Jordan Davis was unable to play. The American rested his biceps femoris, not his wrist, and there were hardly any moments when he wasn’t signing autographs. Those who didn’t, danced and celebrated each basket of their companions vehemently.
One of those who had the best time was Artem Pustovyi, ‘MVP’ of the match. The linchpin enjoyed “much”, giving away plays of great physical exuberance and displaying his most comedic vein. He competed in a game with three kids in which he demonstrated a three-point shot that was also put to the test in the game (in eight seasons in the Endesa League, he has only shot and failed to make seven three-pointers) and became part of one of the choreographies that the cheerleaders did with a group of girls.
The Ukrainian, who certainly needed such “positive energy” the most, enjoyed a day “a lot” that he described as “the best way to disconnect and not think about anything before going back to hard work” . Of course, he dropped his coaching staff with a smile that “maybe we should play something for my triple in the next game.”
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
