ESP – Gran Canaria hit the ACB summit!

LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA (ACB) – Spain’s ACB had one big surprise after another over the weekend.

Regal Barcelona, one of the form teams this season with Spanish Olympic star Juan Carlos Navarro back with the club, lost at home 72-71 to lowly MMT Estudiantes.

Then there was out-form Real Madrid reeling off 20 straight points in the second half to stun DKV Joventut in Badalona, 79-68.

Pamesa Valencia, a club in a minor crisis, expected a tough game but they destroyed CB Granada 83-66 at La Fonteta in Valencia on Friday.

The club has parted with Fotis Katsikaris as coach and replaced him with Neven Spahija, with the ex-Tau Ceramica boss to be unveiled to the media on Monday.

The biggest surprise of all, though, had to be Kalise Gran Canaria reaching the ACB summit for the first time in club history.

They outscored Unicaja Malaga 26-17 in the final quarter to win 74-68 in the Canary Islands.

The triumph in front of their 5,130 delirious fans was Gran Canaria’s fifth in a row.

Canada international Carl English, who played at this summer’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, led the way with 22 points.

Gran Canaria had such great balance on offense, in fact, that English was the only player to hit double digits.

Great Britain’s rising star Joel Freeland had seven points and five rebounds in less than 14 minutes.

"We have to be calm and happy," said Kalise coach Salva Maldonado.

"We have started the season well and we must continue to work in the same manner, aware that we have lots of victories to look forward to and also defeats to concede.

“We remain unbeaten in one month and that is good in case we go through a difficult patch."

Aito Garcia Reneses, who left DKV last summer and coached Spain at the Olympics to a silver medal before taking over at powerhouse Unicaja, had good things to say about Gran Canaria.

"They have a very good team, good focus, intensity and enthusiasm,” he said.

“Above all, they have a well organised team."

Paolo Quinteros of Argentina had 20 points as CAI Zaragoza won 78-61 over Ricoh Manresa.

Quinteros, a bronze-medal winner this summer at the Beijing Games, is averaging 19.5 points per game in the ACB. That is joint-third best in the league with Real Madrid’s Spain international Felipe Reyes.

Fuenlabrada beat ViveMenorca 91-80. Fuenlabrada’s Brad Oleson, who is leading the ACB in scoring at 22 points per game, hit his season average in the triumph.

In other games, Iurbentia Bilbao won 70-65 over Cajasol and CB Murcia defeated Bruesa 104-95.

Chris Thomas, who had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists, was voted as the ACB’s Player of the Week.

FIBA