Ilerna Lleida basketball club season and opener

The basketball club Ilerna Lleida held a season presentation at the Barris Nord pavilion, where they introduced three main teams and unveiled new kits. Club president Albert Aliaga used the event to signal the club’s stability and commitment to the ACB.

As the club prepares for its third ACB project, coaching staff and players are focusing on roster goals. While guard James Batemon expressed ambitions to reach the Liga Endesa playoffs, head coach Gerard Encuentra emphasized that the primary objective is avoiding relegation. Encuentra noted improvements in offensive resources but highlighted the need to address defensive physical deficiencies and manage player injuries.

In their Liga Endesa opener, Ilerna Lleida secured a historic 105-100 victory against defending champions Valencia Basket at the Roig Arena. The high-scoring match saw Lleida establish an early 10-0 lead led by Darius McGhee. Despite a second-quarter comeback by Valencia through Nikola Mirotic and Armoni Brooks, Lleida maintained pressure via Kur Kuath and James Batemon, who scored 23 points. McGhee contributed 21 points to the win. This result occurred during a record-breaking opening weekend for the ACB, which saw a league-high scoring average of 94.8 points per match.