Surne Bilbao have to dig deep to overcome San Pablo Burgos

Surne Bilbao had to battle to overcome San Pablo Burgos, who were beaten 96-87 in the third round of the Liga Endesa. In a fast-paced contest that remained finely balanced for long stretches, the hosts saw their 12-point lead disappear before regaining control in the closing minutes. The game was played at Bilbao Arena in front of 9,321 spectators, including several hundred supporters from Burgos.

The teams traded baskets, with Bilbao drawing on contributions across the lineup and Koprivica driving San Pablo Burgos’ play. Hilliard, Normantas and Hlinason all made their mark: Hilliard scored 15 points, Normantas 14, while Hlinason finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds. Krampelj added 13 points. For the visitors, Doumbouya had 15 points and 7 rebounds; Steward scored 12, as did Koprivica, who also collected 7 rebounds.

A run of three-pointers helped Surne Bilbao open up a gap, taking the score to 66-54. San Pablo Burgos refused to go away, however, and, led in particular by Doumbouya, drew level at 85-85 with 3 minutes and 7 seconds left after a Radosavljevic basket and foul. Bilbao found a response, and two late three-pointers from Normantas and Hilliard helped settle the outcome.

The final score of 96-87 underlined a win earned through sustained effort rather than complete control. Surne Bilbao scored 19, 25, 30 and 22 points across the four periods, with Hilliard, Normantas and Krampelj providing its leading scoring contributions.