SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA (Spain) - In the Canary Islands, basketball runs through the veins of not just one powerhouse, but two. From Season X, they have competed both in the Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL.
For years, La Laguna Tenerife and Dreamland Gran Canaria have crossed paths in the ACB, contending for the crown of the best team coming from the Atlantic Ocean in Spanish basketball.
Each and every time they have squared off domestically, fans from both sides show up, support, and cheer from their side.
On March 25, 2024, however, everybody stopped thinking about the rivalry and the potential outcome in some instances. Everyone’s thoughts were for Jaime Fernandez.
That day, he suffered a knee injury that would have eventually cost him 300 days of action on the court. When he made his return against Basquet Girona in January 2025, it seemed like he didn’t miss a single beat of his spark.
"Those were nine very long months, and it took quite some time before I felt 100% again. It was probably the toughest moment of my career," Jaime tells the BCL website.
"Through hard work and effort, I managed to come back in optimal condition. I still remember my first day back: the way the fans welcomed me to the court was incredible."
"They showed me how much they cared and how much they had been waiting for me. It was a difficult process, but also an obstacle I managed to overcome. Today, I feel even better than before the injury," Tenerife’s point guard explains.
Getting to the Final Four is no easy task
Since joining the team in 2022, the 32-year-old playmaker has contributed to the team’s constant growth in the BCL, emerging each and every year as one of the favorites.
For the fourth straight campaign, Jaime will be competing for the trophy he hasn’t lifted yet with Tenerife. Badalona will be just another viewpoint on Tenerife’s hiking path.
"In my four years here, we’ve never missed a Final Four. We’ve always been there."
"It’s true that we haven’t managed to win it yet since I’ve been here, although we did finish second once. Hopefully, this can be the year we become champions once again," he says.
"In the end, only one team wins, and winning is very difficult. But consistently reaching the Playoffs, the Final Four, and the Copa del Rey is something exceptional. It has always motivated me, especially knowing how challenging it is."
Since winning the trophy for the last time in May 2022 in Bilbao’s Miribilla Arena, Tenerife hasn’t been able to get back to their glorious BCL days in Malaga, Belgrade, and Athens.
"Each season we’ve faced different opponents. We are a very experienced team; in some games, we’ve performed better, in others not as well. But we’ve learned from every situation, and just being there at this level means a lot," Fernandez comments.
"Of course, it hurts not to have won it yet, and that’s why we approach the next challenge with great ambition. First aiming to reach the final, and hopefully to lift the trophy," he adds.
In Season X, Tenerife’s experienced point guard has finished in double digits on seven occasions.
Two of them were particularly impressive: his 25-point outcome against Bnei Penlink Herzliya and the 19 points over 4-of-5 from deep in Game 2 of the Quarter-Finals against Galatasaray MCT Technic.
Despite losing what seemed like a never-ending 31-game and four-year winning streak at home, they’ve still reached the BCL Final Four for the 7th time in the team’s history.
"Personally, I don’t think it’s been an up-and-down season. What we’ve achieved deserves recognition. Over the past four years, we’ve consistently reached the Playoffs, the Copa del Rey, and the Final Four. It’s not easy," Fernandez states.
"This season we’ve once again played in the Copa del Rey, and now we’re in the Basketball Champions League Final Four for the seventh time in the club’s history."
"Overall, it’s been a very good season. We’ve faced setbacks, like every team, but competing for every title is never easy," Tenerife’s point guard continues.
Surrounded by legendary role models
When talking about the Canary powerhouse, nothing would have been possible without Txus Vidorreta shaping the team’s well-oiled and effective system.
"I’ve spent many years with Txus Vidorreta, and I know how important point guards are in his system. Sharing the role with teammates like Bruno [Fitipaldo] and Marcelinho [Huertas] means a lot. We play a very distinctive, complex, and rich style of basketball."
"It’s been a process, but today I can say I understand his system very well. That’s why everything works - not just for me, but for all of us. Everyone knows their role and what they have to do. His philosophy isn’t simple, but it’s very stimulating," he says.
With Jaime Fernandez and Bruno Fitipaldo contributing next to him, it’s surely Marcelinho Huertas who takes the spotlight among Tenerife’s point guards.
It’s quite an exciting feeling to be able to share the court with a soon-to-be 43-year-old who still gets to the court like a young and upcoming gun. Jaime knows it perfectly.
I’ve been playing with him for four years, and I learn something new every day. Marcelinho has a special energy. He’s a unique player; he's just special. Sharing the court with him is a privilege.
"What you see in games is incredible, but what he does every day behind the scenes is just as impressive. It’s an honor to play alongside a legend like him, and I keep learning from him every single day," he also adds.
What still surprises about Tenerife is the fact that Marcelinho isn’t just the only one over 40 years old, as the 1985-born Aaron Doornekamp follows.
If one wants, could add several other experts to the list, keeping the team’s average age pretty high: Joan Sastre, Giorgi Shermadini, Tim Abromaitis, Rokas Giedraitis, Fran Guerra.
"The secret? Tenerife’s sun. We are a team with experienced players, myself included, I’m not that young anymore. We take care of every detail, and our style of play suits our experience. Age is just a number," Fernandez states.
"What matters is physical condition, consistency, and how well you look after yourself. We’ve shown that even against younger and more athletic teams, good basketball and experience make a big difference."
Talking about taking care of themselves and being a professional on any given day, Tenerife has been enjoying having a newcomer around who knows how to keep thriving at 37.
"Patty Mills has been a role model for me since I was a kid. I followed him in every competition he played with Australia and throughout his entire career. Being able to play with him and share the day-to-day is a privilege."
"He’s someone I’ve always looked up to - how he trains, plays, and competes. Being his teammate is something special, and I’m really happy to share this experience with him and the whole locker room," he also says.
When I found out he was joining, I could hardly believe it.
If Jaime wants to finally reap the golden benefits after four years in Tenerife, contributing to the team’s return to glory in the BCL Final Four, he will need to give his best against a newcomer at this stage: Rytas Vilnius.
"It will be a very tough opponent. It’s the first time a Lithuanian team has reached the Final Four, and Lithuania has a strong basketball tradition," he explains.
"At this stage, every team is a contender. AEK BC and Unicaja are also having great seasons. I know Unicaja well from my time there; they are always competitive. Winning the last two editions says a lot about their strength and consistency."
It’s one more season getting to the most anticipated stage of the season. One more opportunity to win the BCL trophy for Tenerife, the first one for Jaime Fernandez.
He has gone through a 300-day injury and made the best out of it. That gold medal around his neck would sparkle brightly under Tenerife’s sun.