By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid picked up a road win, 79-68, against La Laguna Tenerife on Sunday.
The team coached by Chus Mateo never trailed and went through most of the 40 minutes with a double-digit cushion. Improving to 23-4 and forcing the hosts to 21-6 created a two-game lead at the top of the ACB standings with seven outings remaining in the Liga Endesa Regular Season.
Behind 6/14 field goals, Mario Hezonja recorded a game-high 16 points in the Round 27 affair. Bruno Fernando returned to action with a ten-point, ten-rebound double-double. A third double-digit scorer, Walter Tavares, added ten more points.
A safe lead allowed Mateo to spread playing time, heading to a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play-In Showdown matchup with Paris in Movistar Arena on Tuesday. In addition to injured Eli Ndiaye (shoulder), Serge Ibaka was left out of the lineup.
A 12th straight win between the EuroLeague and the top-tier division of Spain since early March snapped an 11-game streak of Tenerife between the ACB and the Basketball Champions League. The previous loss in the domestic league was in the reverse fixture opposite Madrid in January.
Later Sunday, FC Barcelona took down Coviran Granada, 93-86. Kevin Punter stood out with 21 points and Jabari Parker threw in 18 more points. Nicolas Laprovittola (right knee surgery), Chimezie Metu (right Achilles surgery), Juan Nunez (right knee surgery), and Dame Sarr remained sidelined.
The team guided by Joan Penarroya went up to 16-11.
In La Fonteta, Valencia beat Unicaja, 84-75, and jumped to 20-7. Jean Montero combined a game-high 20 points with six assists.
ACB Round 27
Girona – Rio Breogan 91-85
MoraBanc Andorra – Surne Bilbao 84-81
UCAM Murcia – Baskonia 82-91
Joventut Badalona – BAXI Manresa 85-92
La Laguna Tenerife – Real Madrid 68-79
Coviran Granada – FC Barcelona 86-93
Valencia – Unicaja 84-75
Casademont Zaragoza – Leyma Coruna (30/4)
Dreamland Gran Canaria – Hiopos Lleida (30/4)
STANDINGS: Real Madrid 23-4, La Laguna Tenerife 21-6, Valencia 20-7, Unicaja 18-9, FC Barcelona 16-11…