By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Just five minutes of real Real Madrid basketball at the start of the last period and a bit of luck in the end despite 2/6 free throws were enough for the defending champs to get the 77-76 road win over LDLC ASVEL.
Vincent Poirier with 17 points and Walter Tavares with a double-double (16 p. 12 r. 2 bl.) simply couldn’t be denied even if the home side made things interesting in the last minute of the game. Sergio Llull scored 11 and Dzanan Musa added 10 points.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot had 20 points for ASVEL, Paris Lee added 17 and Joffrey Lauvergne had 16, still, it was not enough as Real Madrid has a 16-1 record and ASVEL just 2-15.
Despite playing without Mario Hezonja, Gabriel Deck, Guerschon Yabusele, and Rudy Fernandez, the top team in the standings had an answer for everything, completing the first half of the regular season with just one defeat.
“We know that if we play hard, like today, we have a chance at the end, so that’s what happened”, Tavares said after the final buzzer.
“They are champions, but also my players, they deserved it”, added ASVEL coach Gianmarko Pozzecco.
The hosts started the game strong, leading 13-4, however, at the end of the first quarter, Real Madrid was trailing by one. The French side got again a nine-point advantage (39-33) with Sergio Llull scoring a three with two seconds left to make the halftime score 39-33.
ASVEL didn’t back down, leading again by nine (48-39). Madrid made it again a one-point game (50-49), but ASVEL held on for a 57-51 lead entering the last period with Lee already having 15 points.
A crazy finish
Things changed in the last period, starting with a 14-0 run by Real Madrid for the 65-57 lead. Poirier scored eight of those points, and ASVEL was rattled. “In the third and fourth quarter we got the rebounds and got some easy baskets, that’s our strength”, the French big man commented after the game.
A timeout by coach Gianmarko Pozzecco didn’t help, the run extended to 16-0 (67-57) and finally after almost six minutes without a basket, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored for the hosts (67-59).
With Madrid relaxing more than permitted, ASVEL made the comeback after a three by Mike Scott who trimmed the lead to one (73-72).
Facu Campazzo made one of two free throws, Lee tied the score at 74 and Madrid had the ball with 44 seconds left. Tavares scored (76-74), Cabarrot missed, and Campazzo once again made one of two free throws (77-74).
With five seconds left, Madrid essentially let Lauvergne score for two (77-76). Cabarrot fouled Lull with three seconds left and the Spanish legend missed both free throws with ASVEL not being able to score in the time left.
“It was a good game for the fans and we fought to come back because they got a big advantage”, coach Chus Matteo admitted. “In the end, we won after fighting against a team that never gave up, finally we found a window and we got in from it”.