The Whites go in search of their first silverware of the season in a repeat of the last season's league final (7:15pm CEST).
Real Madrid and Baskonia, last season's champions and runners-up respectively, will this evening do battle for the first title of the 2018/19 season, the Endesa Super Cup, at the Multiusos Fontes Do Sar, in what will be the sides' fourth meeting in the competition. This is an unprecedented final pairing in which the Whites, just like their opponents, have the chance to capture the title for a fifth time, and take the crown four years on from the last triumph in the competition, after having previously won it three times in a row. The Vitoria-based side, meanwhile, haven't tasted glory in the competition since the 2008/09 season.
Some 75 days on from lifting the league title at the Buesa Arena, Pablo Laso's troops reconvene with the Basque side in a final. The two sides have never before met in a Super Copa final. They have squared off in the semis, on four occasions, with two victories apiece. The most recent of these clashes was in the 2009 tournament in Las Palmas, with the Whites running out 62-87 winners. Since then, Real Madrid has secured the title three times, in consecutive years between 2012 and 2014. Baskonia will be keen to bring an end to a 10-year period in which this trophy has eluded them after they retained the title between 2004 and 2008.
MADRID WILL DO BATTLE FOR ITS 16TH TITLE IN EIGHT SEASONS.
Just like Madrid, the side coached by Pedro Martínez has retained the core of last season's team and has strengthened with two new additions on the outside in the shape of Hilliard and Shields. Baskonia's strength lies in the group, they're powerful physically and have options, with power forward Shengelia the team's leading light. The point guard positions is occupied by some assured performers in the form of Granger, Vildoza and Huertas. The main man on triples is Janning, whilst in the paint there's real power and versatility in the form of Poirier, Diop and Voigtmann. Garino was his side's standout performer against Barcelona, where he racked up 16 points.
More solid than ever
The madridistas proved what they're all about in pre-season and confirmed it last night. That's now four wins from four, with the team offering a very good account of thsmelves and showcasing a defensive unit which, at times, has been brilliiant. For example, in the Obradoiro game, the defense equalled the club's best defensive record in a Super Cup contest. Everyone is playing their part, including the new recruits, who've been performing right from day one. There are two elements: the defense and the team spirit, which look like being key to securing victory over a Baskonia side that comes into the game unbeaten and that showed what it was capable of in the first half of the semi-final encounter against Barcelona, chalking up a 19-point led, although ultimately the team had to dig in. It's another final and another chance for Real Madrid to add to its trophy haul.