Guadalajara said goodbye today to the King’s Cup of wheelchair basketball that for three days has filled the Multiusos Palace with excitement and inclusive sports, culminating in a thrilling final where Ilunion defeated (78-71) the reigning European champion, Amiab Albacete, and retained the King’s Cup title for the twenty-first time.
The Madrid-based team, led by Víctor Ramos, had an impeccable tournament, eliminating Bidaideak Bilbao in the quarterfinals (105-69), Amivel in the semifinals (101-55), and Amiab Albacete in the final, the winner of the Champions Cup of Europe for the last three seasons.
The mayor of Guadalajara, Ana Guarinos, along with the president of the Spanish Federation of Sports for People with Physical Disabilities, Enrique Álvarez, presented the medals and trophy to the champions and second and third-place finishers, in the presence of Alberto Durán, president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee; Armengol Engonga, councilor of and Roberto Narro, councilor of Health, among other authorities.
The tournament’s best quintet was composed of the Canadian Arinn Young (UCAM Murcia), Gregg Warburton, ‘Pincho’ Ortega, and Tom O’Neill (Ilunion), and Phil Pratt (Amiab Albacete), with ‘Pincho’ Ortega being named the best player.
The King’s Cup, organized by the Spanish Federation of Sports for People with Physical Disabilities, was sponsored by Fundación ONCE and received collaboration and support from the Guadalajara City Council, Superior Sports Council, Spanish Paralympic Committee, CaixaBank, Endesa, Decathlon, and Santa Lucía Seguros.
Within the framework of the King’s Cup, the second edition of the BSR Spain Cup was also held between Sureste Gran Canaria Santa Lucía and Amiab Puertollano, with the latter winning the trophy after defeating the island team.
The King’s Cup, organized by the Spanish Federation of Sports for People with Physical Disabilities, was sponsored by Fundación ONCE and received collaboration and support from the Guadalajara City Council, Superior Sports Council, Spanish Paralympic Committee, CaixaBank, Endesa, Decathlon, and Santa Lucía Seguros.