By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The fifth win in six away games of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season, Real Madrid took down FC Bayern Munich, 68-64. Tuesday.
Paving the way in Audi Dome, Walter Tavares tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, and six blocks. “It is always tough to win here in Germany,” he commented on the extremely tight Regular Season Round 13 contest, “We knew they are a great team too, that they can make us have a long day. We tried to do our best in defense to stop them.”
The Spain champions were in control for most of the second half but lacked the decisive punch to the hosts. Seemingly in a commanding position, an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical foul shrank the lead to two points in crunch time and possession to Bayern. But Andreas Obst failed to convert a three-pointer with 13 seconds on the clock.
“Some things were not so clear for me,” said Chus Mateo on the wild finish, “The referees are doing their job and it’s not easy for them. I respected them a lot. This is what they called and it’s OK.”
Sergio Llull logged six of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. “We did not play a great game, but we played tough. It is a difficult court,” confessed the experienced guard, “In the last seconds we played a little better than them and we won.”
Los Blancos went up to 9-4 with a visit to Zalgiris coming up Thursday. Stuck on the injury list, Carlos Alocen (knee), Gabriel Deck (quad), Rudy Fernandez (wrist), Adam Hanga (thigh), and Anthony Randolph (knee) are all out.
Facing his 2016-17 team, Othello Hunter showcased his range by connecting four three-pointers in a 14-point effort. Over the first 261 games played in Europe’s top-tier club continental competition stretching all the way back to the 2013-14 season, the 36-year-old center, 2019 champion, banked in a grand total of 12 triples. The other double-digit scoring effort was by Corey Walden with 11 points to his name.
“We gave everything. I think we missed seven open threes in the last quarter. I believe the game was there. I can’t blame any of my players. They gave everything. We tried to come with great energy, intensity, and speed,” described losing head coach Andrea Trinchieri, “It’s not easy to do if for 40 minutes.”
Vladimir Lucic (elbow), Augustine Rubit (groin), and Zan Mark Sisko (personal) were all sidelined for Bayern. From falling to 4-9 to a second straight home game against Valencia Thursday.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net