By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Guerschon Yabusele scored 17 points and Thomas Heurtel posted 12 points and 10 assists as Real Madrid overcame Rio Breogan 73 – 67 to qualify to the semifinal stage of the Spanish Copa del Rey tournament.
Rasid Mahalbasic had 16 points and Dzanan Musa notched 13 points (3-11 from the field) plus nine rebounds for a Breogan squad that came back from down 15 to cut the deficit to two but was unable to get any closer.
It was Heurtel who dropped seven points in the last two minutes to secure Real’s win. With the score 66 – 62, the French guard made three free throws and then hit the jumper to put his team at a nine-point advantage. When Breogan approached 71 – 66 with 48 seconds to play, Heurtel drained another jump shot after a pretty personal move to seal the deal for the Blancos.
Edy Tavares provided 11 points plus 11 rebounds along with some strong defensive contribution in key moments of the game and while his opponents were fighting to complete a major turnaround. Breogan trailed 56 – 41 with two minutes remaining in the third period but rallied for an impressive 1 – 15 run to get at a shooting distance early in the fourth quarter.
Real pulled away 62 – 55 but Breogan closed the gap by two once again before the last minutes and Heurtel’s decisive actions.
In the other Copa del Rey quarterfinal game held Thursday (17/2), Lenovo Tenerife defeated Joventut Badalona 64 – 62 behind 12 points plus eight rebounds by Giorgi Shermadini. Tenerife and Real will face each other for a spot in the Final.
On Friday (18/2), the quarterfinals continue with the Valencia – Murcia and Barcelona – Baxi Manresa games.