But they were not enough for the Añoreta schoolchildren to win.
CB Novaschool was clear about its main objective if it wanted to win at home in the first game of the U18 Gold Playoffs: stop Nicolás García Karpenko. However, the most valuable player of the regular season led the victory of CBSP 06-07 Rojo against CB Novaschool Azul by 65-67.
Karpenko’s start was stunning
The young player scored 10 points and 5 rebounds in the first 10 minutes, with 1 shot of 3 points, 1 field goal, a 2+1 and an impressive dunk in the last 17 seconds, a magnificent culmination for the first quarter that ended with a comfortable lead of 10 points on the scoreboard in favor of CB San Pedro (15-25).
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Photographs of Karpenko during the game © 2024 Ignacio García. – Photographer José Luis.
Photographs of Karpenko during the game © 2024 Ignacio García. – 2-point hook +1 (top left), block with left hand (top right) and 2-point dunk (bottom left and right).
When it seemed that the CB Novaschool juniors would not be able to stop Karpenko, who was only 16 years old, fate was on his side. Or rather, the referees and the four personal fouls that left Karpenko without playing for 16 of the 20 minutes of the second and third quarters.
The two personal fouls called out in the first quarter became three, with no time to score after the first minute of play in the second. The third foul caused the visiting coach, Davor Matkovic, to sit the Marbella player for the rest of the first half. The script for the next ten minutes was no different. The referees signaled Karpenko’s fourth personal foul after the second minute of the third quarter, after he made 2 free throws, and his coach, again, sat him on the bench. Meanwhile, the schoolchildren, happy to play at home, took advantage of the mistakes of the Sampedreños who played without Karpenko. They reduced the difference on the scoreboard to 4 points (48-52) at the conclusion of the third quarter.
The locals tied the game in the last minute although they could not materialize the comeback
For the first time, one of the players who had committed the fewest personal fouls in the entire regular season, 15 personal fouls in 328 minutes and 12 games, that is, 1 foul every 22 minutes, with an average of 1.25 fouls per game, he committed 4 fouls in just 24 minutes of a single game, that is, 1 foul every 6 minutes. With this surprising condition, Karpenko could only make 3 free throws during the last quarter. This helped the schoolchildren, who tied the game 65-65 in the last minute although they could not make the comeback. A basket, with 32 seconds left, gave CB San Pedro a 65-67 away victory, which, despite playing poorly, won the first Gold Playoff game and remains undefeated in the competition.
Statistics of Nicolás García Karpenko. -MVP of his team in 24 minutes, he achieved a double-double with 15 points and 8 rebounds, 1 shot of 3 points, 3 shots of 2 points and 6/7 in free throws (86% success).
Junior U18 Gold Playoffs 2023-2024. | Two-legged eliminatory, cup system, first home game of the lowest ranked team in the regular phase. Classification after the first game: CB San Pedro 06-07 Rojo 1-0 CB Novaschool Azul Rincón de la Victoria con +2, EBG´06 0-1 CP Mijas Montero&Rider Blanco con +29, CB Campillos 0-1 Cash Beltrán Miramar Torremolinos con +2, Avatel Marbella Basket-CB Marbella 0-1 Torreparquet TBC con +4.
IGGA is a company committed to sports and official sponsor of Club Baloncesto San Pedro.
