15.10.2009 13:59
R-Day
Carles Cascante
October 15, 2009. Six days before turning 19, Ricky Rubio has made his official debut at the Palau Blaugrana. The focus of all attention, the youngster managed six assists and two steals.
This was the kind of the day that one never forgets. Rubio made his official debut in front of his
new fans, and the Palau, a place that knows its basketball well, was keen to see what the player
could do in his first start in the pavilion.
First on court
Shortly after seven thirty, Ricky Rubio made his first contact with the
Palau faithful. Already kitted out, the summer’s star signing was the first player to start
warming up. At 8.20, ten minutes before tip off against Valencia Basket Club, Ricky was already in
the players’ tunnel and ready to hear his name called out for the first time – it was
time for the squad presentation.
He timidly moved forward and accepted the rapturous welcome from his new and adoring fans.
After the game, he explained just what it was like to experience all of this for the first time. "I
am very happy to have made my debut like that. I have learned about the ‘Palau factor’
as a visitor, this place has a very special warmth to it. That’s very important. Today we won
easily, but there will be harder games and we need this support."
From the start
Ricky started the first game of the campaign at the Palau. Jaka Lakovic
being injured, Xavi Pascual has few options for the point guard position, and whereas Sada had
started in Santiago de Compostela, at the Palau against Valencia Basket Club, the honour went to
Ricky.
It may have seemed an easy win, but it actually required plenty of hard work, especially at
the back, where the point guard is the first line of defence, one of the youngster’s finest
virtues, as Víctor Sada said after the game. "Ricky is one of the best players around for stealing
balls." He didn’t manage any points, but his six assists and two steals in twenty minutes
helped the side to a win.