By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid got the 86-79 win over ALBA Berlin in a game decided by a 9-2 run in the closing two minutes.
Mario Hezonja with 22 points, 12 of them in the first half, Guershon Yabusele with 17, and Facundo Campazzo with 14 led the charge as the top team in the standings (24-6) avoided a defeat by the last one (5-25) and secured the home court advantage mathematically in the playoffs.
For ALBA, Matt Thomas with 16 points led a team effort, however once more the Germans fell short of getting a big, at least for their pride, result.
“They always do like this, everyone respects them in the league, they play like this, but we took it seriously in the second half, we got some separation and we finished it right”, added Hezonja after the game.
Real Madrid coach Chus Mateo added: “ALBA controlled the game a little bit more, it’s their style, they play with energy and shoot without fear. When they start to score it’s not easy, we had to be patience, protect the ball and when we did it, we came back”.
In the last two minutes
ALBA Berlin started the game leading by 10 (26-16) in the first quarter, shocking Real Madrid which was missing Sergio Llull and Dzanan Musa, but had pretty much every other big name available.
The Germans kept the lead, but Madrid trimmed it to four points (40-36) at halftime. At the start of the third, ALBA led by 13 (51-38) and that was the wake-up call for “Los Blancos”.
Thanks to a 20-3 run, Madrid finally got a four-point advantage (58-54), however Sterling Brown with a three (58-57) made it a one-point game entering the last period.
The two teams exchanged the lead and walked hand in hand, entering the last two minutes with the score tied at 77.
However, Madrid with a 6-0 run (83-77) created a solid distance with 36 left and the game was over.
“It’s amazing to have 24 wins at this moment but will have to improve our record and also improve our game, we have to fight in the playoffs and go the Final Four”, added Mateo, “EuroLeague is the toughest league in the world”.