By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Valencia – Kosner Baskonia achieved a Copa del Rey victory in Valencia that was as unexpected as it was historic. Defeating Real Madrid is already praiseworthy, but doing so after defeating Barça in the semifinals, and with a team severely hampered by injuries, makes Galbiati’s team’s feat unforgettable.
One of the main reasons for this Copa del Rey victory, along with Thimote Luwawu-Cabarrot and Eugene Omoruyi, was Trent Forrest. The brilliant American point guard was named MVP of the competition after delivering an absolutely historic final: 22 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and a performance rating of 38.
Forrest spoke with Eurohoops about this outstanding performance, just one rebound shy of the first triple-double in Copa del Rey history: “If only I had known, I would have given everything to get that extra rebound. It’s very difficult to get a triple-double in Europe; doing it here would have made my night much better, without a doubt.”
Very few had high hopes for the team, but Kosner Baskonia proved that anything is possible. “It’s wonderful to be able to compete at this level and win. We’ve worked incredibly hard to get here.”
The victory in the final was against Real Madrid, the perfect culmination of a year marked by setbacks. “We haven’t had an easy year at all. We’ve faced everything imaginable. This just goes to show what kind of team we are.”