Catalan basketball loses two of its main voices

BadalonaCatalan basketball has lost two of its leading voices. Silvia Domínguez, point guard for Perfumerías Avenida in Salamanca, and Pau Ribas, shooting guard for Joventut de Badalona, ​​announced their retirement on Tuesday. Both are 38 years old.

Born in Montgat on January 31, 1987, Domínguez has played for UB Universitario in Barcelona, ​​​​Adecco Estudiantes, Perfumerías Avenida in Salamanca, Ros Casares Valencia, UMMC Ekaterinburg, and, again, Perfumerías Avenida.

"It's a very emotional moment. I'm ending my career as a professional basketball player. I feel sad, but also very proud of the career I've had. As a child, I recreated impossible baskets that I've later been lucky enough to experience firsthand. The journey I've had." Domínguez, who couldn't hold back her tears.

Her trophy cabinet includes three Euroleague titles, one European Super Cup, eight League titles, five Queen's Cups, and five Super Cups, as well as three League titles and two Russian Cups. Domínguez also has nine medals with the Spanish national team; three golds at the Eurobasket, three silvers at the Olympic Games, the World Cup, and the Eurobasket, and three bronzes at each the World Cup (1) and the Eurobasket (2).

The president of CB Avenida, Jorge Recio, and the mayor of Salamanca, Carlos García Carbayo, have announced that the Würzburg pavilion will be renamed Würzburg-Silvia Domínguez.

Born in Badalona on March 2, 1987, Ribas joined La Penya when he was just four years old. A Catalan mini and children's champion, as well as a Spanish runner-up at the cadet and junior levels, Ribas enjoyed great success in Joventut's youth system, and before making the leap to professional basketball, he won the EBA League in the 2005-06 season with CB Prat. The Catalan played for Baskonia, Valencia Basket, Barça, and, again, Joventut.

"When I was starting out, one of my role models was Raül López, who came to the NBA from La Penya's youth system. Another of my role models was Ivan Corrales, who used to come to watch us train when I was a minibasketball kid," explains Ribas, who will host the game on Saturday. "I've loved playing basketball since I was four or five years old. Living in Badalona is special because basketball is on every corner. Being able to play for the team I support has been a huge privilege," acknowledges the Badalona native, who is currently taking courses from the Catalan Federation to become a coach. "I don't know what the next step will be, but I'm going to try to maintain my passion and motivation," he confesses.

His trophy cabinet includes two ULEB Eurocups, one FIBA ​​​​EuroChallenge, one Endesa League, three Copa del Rey titles, one Super Cup, and seven Catalan League titles. Ribas also has a gold medal at a World Cup and another at a Eurobasketball Championship.