By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After the painful EuroLeague defeat to Kosner Baskonia, Real Madrid faced Morabanc Andorra this afternoon in a game that could help them regain confidence and return to winning ways.
And most likely, Scariolo’s side only achieved one of those two goals: the win was unquestionable, but far from spectacular. Real Madrid claimed a 97–90 victory, marking their 23rd win in the domestic competition.
Alex Len was the top scorer of the game for the home team with 17 points, once again making the most of his minutes on the court. The overall top scorer of the game was Yves Pons, who could not prevent his team’s nineteenth loss.
The game began with a 12–30 run in the first quarter that excited the visitors and unsettled more than a few at the Movistar Arena. However, before halftime, Real Madrid had already tied the game at 47 and finished the third quarter with a 15-point lead (75–60).
With the win essentially secured, Los Blancos only had to manage the visitors’ comeback attempts.
Valencia Basket had it even easier. Strong perfomance by Pedro Martínez’s team, that easily overpowered 105-88 Río Breogán for another solid victory.
And to finish the round, Barça achieved their main objective in their visit to the Príncipe Felipe arena: defeating Casademont Zaragoza despite all the challenges.
Xavi Pascual’s team secured an 86–92 victory over the Aragonese side, a win that allows them to remain among Real Madrid’s closest challengers in the Liga Endesa standings, now with a 17–8 record. Joan Plaza’s team drops to 7–19, just one win above the relegation zone.
Santi Yusta, with 32 points, was the standout performer of the game. Bojan Dubljević provided the perfect support, finishing with 18 points and 7 rebounds. However, as has often been the case, Zaragoza’s two main pillars were left too isolated, with no other player reaching double figures in scoring.
Kevin Punter (22 points) and Toko Shengelia (13) led Barça’s scoring, while Juani Marcos (9 points and 4 assists) played a key role in orchestrating the team, stepping up in the absence of Satoransky, who remains doubtful for the crucial game against Panathinaikos.
Despite leading 39–50 at the start of the second half, Barça could not enjoy a comfortable finish. Gradually, the home team closed the gap, and a three-pointer by Santi Yusta completed the comeback in the final quarter (73–72).
However, despite the setback and their very short rotation, Barça managed to regroup and ultimately secure the win in Zaragoza.
Liga Endesa Round 25
BAXI Manresa – Kosner Baskonia 83 – 88
Hiopos Lleida – La Laguna Tenerife 103 – 101
Real Madrid – MoraBanc Andorra 97 – 90
Asisa Joventut – UCAM Murcia 67 – 89
Dreamland Gran Canaria – San Pablo Burgos 95 – 109
Coviran Granada – Basquet Girona 84 – 91
Surne Bilbao – Unicaja de Málaga 90 – 74
Valencia Basket – Río Breogán 105-88
Casademont Zaragoza – Barça 86-92
STANDINGS: Real Madrid 23-2, Valencia Basket 19-6, UCAM Murcia 18-7, Kosner Baskonia 18-7…