Córdoba, Spain. – Dominican Chris Duarte had a dream debut with his new team, Unicaja Málaga, by winning the Andalusia Cup 2025 this Saturday after the 89-81 victory over Covirán Granada, in a Vista Alegre Sports Palace that registered a full house with 3,500 fans.
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The Puerto Plata player, in just his
second official match with the Malaga team, contributed
nine points and was key in several offensive passages for Unicaja to lift the trophy for the
eighteenth time in its history.
The match was marked by parity during the first three quarters. Granada dominated the start (21-26), but Unicaja reacted in the second quarter with a
9-0 run before halftime (45-40). Duarte had offensive prominence in this stretch, while the American Matt Thomas led the rival offense.
In the second half, Covirán Granada regained a minimal lead (64-65) after an exchange of three-pointers, leaving everything to be decided in the final quarter. However, Unicaja showed composure in the crucial minutes: a technical foul on the rival bench opened the definitive gap that the Málaga team managed until the end to secure the victory (89-81).
Among those who stood out for Unicaja were
David Kravish (18 points) and
Tyson Pérez (16), accompanied by a solid collective effort.
With this title, Chris Duarte not only starts his time in Spanish basketball on the right foot, but also gains confidence for the demanding season in the
Liga Endesa and in European competitions, where his talent is expected to continue growing.
