Performance artist Joan Plaza makes her debut at MoraBanc in Zaragoza
Kickoff in Zaragoza: Plaza Takes the Reins at MoraBanc Andorra
It's game day for Andorra's MoraBanc team, as their new coach, Joan Plaza, makes his debut on Sunday against Casademont Zaragoza. After replacing the dismissed Natxo Lezkano, Plaza faces a daunting task–ending a six-game losing streak and winning only two of the last 12 matches.
MoraBanc isn't in immediate relegation danger, thanks to a better average than Coviran Granada and Bàsquet Girona. The pressure's on to perform with the arrival of the former Real Madrid and Unicaja Málaga coach. Plaza last coached a Liga ACB game in November 2021, losing against Real Madrid with Coosur Real Betis. Since then, he's been out of the game, having been let go from AEK Athens in January 2024.
The team is missing power forward Nikos Chougkaz and welcomes back Spanish-Brazilian guard Rafa Luz. For now, MoraBanc has no plans to add or drop players, despite the poor run that led to Lezkano's departure.
Historically, the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion has been a lucky venue for Plaza's teams. In their last two visits, they emerged victorious. Last season, with Lezkano at the helm, they bagged a narrow 72-76 win with Jean Montero netting 22 points and Bell-Haynes adding 26. In their penultimate visit, they clinched 80-83 with key contributions from Clevin Hannah and Conor Morgan.
Casademont Zaragoza, too, is not in top form, having missed out on the Copa del Rey after four straight losses. In their last encounter with Plaza, they hammered Coosur Real Betis 82-72 despite a strong game from Vitto Brown with 23 points and 9 rebounds.
With both teams struggling, Sunday's game promises an intriguing showdown. Keep an eye out for Plaza to make his mark as MoraBanc aims to break their streak and notch their third win of the season.
- In the province of Andorra, MoraBanc's basketball team, under the leadership of new coach Joan Plaza, will be attempting to turn their fortunes around as they engagement in a basketball match against Casademont Zaragoza in the Spanish Liga ACB.
- Plaza's first challenge as coach is to halt a six-game losing streak and only manage two victories from the last 12 games.
- Despite the poor performance, MoraBanc currently sits above immediate relegation concerns, noticeably ahead of Coviran Granada and Bàsquet Girona in the league average.
- With the former Real Madrid and Unicaja Málaga coach at the helm, MoraBanc will be hoping for better outcomes, recalling their previous wins at the Príncipe Felipe Pavilion against Zaragoza, including a 72-76 victory last season with Jean Montero scoring 22 points and Bell-Haynes contributing 26.
