The groups for the 2019 Endesa Mini Cup have been set

• The 2019 Endesa Mini Cup has taken another step forward this Monday by holding the draw of the groups in a special programme of Colgados del Aro, broadcast direct from Endesa’s headquarters in Madrid. The space, presented by Juanma López Iturriaga and Antoni Daimiel, was also attended by Carlos Alocén and Darío Brizuela, players on Tecnyconta Zaragoza and Movistar Estudiantes, who also competed in the Endesa Mini Cup.

The final phase of the 2019 Endesa Mini Cup, which will take place in Madrid from 13 to 17 February, now has the final composition of its groups after holding a draw this Monday on a special programme of Colgados del Aro from Endesa’s headquarters in Madrid. Real Madrid, Valencia Basket, Movistar Estudiantes and Divina Seguros Joventut form Group A and Group B features Barça Lassa, Iberostar Canarias, Gran Canaria and Tecnyconta Zaragoza.

Juanma López Iturriaga and Antoni Daimiel, regular presenters of Colgados del Aro, received help on this occasion from two young stars of the Liga Endesa who know the Endesa Mini Cup well, given that they competed in it in the past: Carlos Alocén and Darío Brizuela. The point guard for Tecnyconta Zaragoza participated in the 2013 and 2014 editions, and the shooting guard for Movistar Estudiantes played in it in 2008. Both fondly remembered their journey through the youth tournament, until reaching the Liga Endesa, where they now play and their respective teams have the possibility to qualify for the next King’s Cup.

The eight teams that qualified for the final phase of the Endesa Mini Cup, which in Madrid will reach its 16th edition, were divided into two pods. The first contained the series leaders (Real Madrid, Iberostar Canarias, Barça Lassa and Valencia Basket), and the second had the rest of the qualified teams (Movistar Estudiantes, Divina Seguros Joventut, Gran Canaria and Tecnyconta Zaragoza).

After a draw without restrictions, two teams from each pod went to Group A and the other two to Group B, thus establishing the 2019 Endesa Mini Cup:

GROUP A:

• Real Madrid
• Valencia Basket
• Movistar Estudiantes
• Divina Seguros Joventut

GROUP B:

• Barça Lassa
• Iberostar Canarias
• Gran Canaria
• Tecnyconta Zaragoza

Competition format

The final phase of the 2019 Endesa Mini Cup will consist of two groups of four teams. New this season, the tournament will start on the afternoon of Wednesday 13 February (one day before the start of the King’s Cup), in such a way that all teams will play one single game per day. The two best from each group will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for Saturday, 16 February. 

Endesa will allow basketball lovers to watch the Endesa Mini Cup through its Facebook page, and on its website Endesabasketlover.com, they will be able to check out the match-ups, results, anecdotes, photographs...Everything related to this competition. On Instagram, endesa_basketlover, and on Twitter, @basketlover, complete the the access that Endesa offers to fans so they don’t miss this tournament.

Where will it be played?

All games of the 2019 Endesa Mini Cup will be played at the Antonio Magariños Athletic Complex (Calle Serrano, 127), except for the grand final, which will take place Sunday, 17 February at the WiZink Center (Av. Felipe II, S/N). In this way, they will emulate the “old guys”, who will battle that day to conquer the title of the King’s Cup on the same stage.

Results of the Preliminary Phase

The preliminary phase of the Endesa Mini Cup was held at L’Alqueria del Basket in Valencia last December, and completed the portfolio of teams that will participate in the final tournament. Along with Real Madrid, current champion, and Movistar Estudiantes—the host team after winning a direct elimination game against Montakit Fuenlabrada—there will be Iberostar Canarias, Barça Lassa, Valencia Basket, Divina Seguros Joventut, Gran Canaria and Tecnyconta Zaragoza.