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Juan Calderón / Nacho Carmona
Malaga
Monday, 17 February 2025, 13:27
Unicaja reaffirmed their status as one of Spain’s elite basketball teams with a resounding 93-79 victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final in Las Palmas on Sunday night.
The Malaga side controlled the match from start to finish, securing their fifth title in two seasons and reinforcing their reputation as one of the most consistent teams outside Spain’s traditional powerhouses.
The victory is the latest triumph in Unicaja’s remarkable resurgence, which began with their surprise Copa del Rey win in Badalona in 2023. That campaign saw them defeat both Barcelona and Real Madrid, a feat unprecedented in Spanish basketball at the time.
Since then, they have added the Basketball Champions League, the Intercontinental Cup and the Supercopa to their trophy cabinet.
From the opening tip-off, Unicaja imposed their game on Real Madrid. Despite the absence of key player Alberto Díaz, they executed their game plan to perfection. Yankuba Sima’s early foul trouble threatened to disrupt their rhythm, but head coach Ibon Navarro kept faith in his team’s depth. Kravish, Taylor and Carter all stepped up, while Kendrick Perry delivered a standout performance, earning the tournament’s MVP award.
Real Madrid struggled to find their rhythm and, despite controlling the rebounds in the first half, were unable to capitalise on their physical advantage and Unicaja’s disciplined defence and quick offensive transitions kept them ahead throughout.
In fact, a strong third quarter, highlighted by key three-pointers from Kravish and Kalinoski, extended their lead to 12 points.
Even a late surge from Madrid, led by Facundo Campazzo and Sergio Llull, was not enough to overturn the deficit. Unicaja maintained their composure and sealed the win with an outstanding final quarter, leaving no doubt about their superiority.
This latest success marks Unicaja’s third Copa del Rey title, following wins in 2005 and 2023. It is also their ninth major trophy overall, a record that includes the 2001 Korac Cup, the 2006 ACB League title and the 2017 EuroCup. With their current form, they are now serious contenders for further silverware this season, including the Basketball Champions League and the domestic league title.
Head coach Ibon Navarro praised his squad’s unity and determination, saying, “This was a true team victory. We have 14 players at a consistently high level and that makes the difference.”
He also acknowledged the challenges of maintaining success, adding, “Winning brings expectations. We must keep our humility and hunger to continue at this level.”
The players returned to the city with the trophy at around 3am, and the celebrations are set to continue throughout Monday.
From 5pm this Monday, the side will parade the trophy on an open-top bus touring the city, before stopping at Plaza de la Marina and the city hall for an official reception.
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