Real Madrid revives at the Stark Arena to force the fifth
Those of Chus Mateo save another ‘match point’ from Partizán in search of the ‘Final Four’
MADRID, 4 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid forced the fifth game of the Euroleague playoff against Partizán by winning again (78-85) this Thursday at the Stark Arena, a fourth game that put the white team on track from the start against a rival who was in the grips of seeing the series on the way back to the WiZink Center.
Chus Mateo’s men made it 2-2 with a lot of defense and stripes, experience that Partizán has and a lot with Zeljko Obradovic on the bench but not on the floor. Despite commanding easily in the first half, Madrid had to sweat until the end, with Gabi Deck’s injury, to save another ‘match point’ with Tavares (15 points, 7 rebounds and a PIR of 30), Sergio Rodríguez (8 points and 7 assists), Musa and the start of Hanga.
The tragedy the day before in Belgrade, with eight minors murdered in a school, changed the scenario of the ‘playoff’ in the fourth game. The Stark Arena did not roar as in the third, it did not sing, in a shocking memory that shrunk the local staging to a greater extent. Each Serbian attack was a start loss, while Hanga broke through from three-pointer (13-24).
The Hungarian started plugged in, also a Musa who wanted to connect in time with the series and Tavares was giving work to his rivals after being the executing arm two days before. Partizán was very much in tow with the foreign success of the whites, with a visiting defense zone that made the Serbian pop even more complicated.
Lessort’s return after suspension was far from causing problems for Tavares and it was Leday and Papapetrou who prevented Madrid’s complete escape. The fouls by the giant from Cape Verde brought back the problems inside Chus Mateo’s men, with those from Belgrade taking advantage of the absence of the best defender in the Euroleague.
The match went into rapid transitions, with Leday leaving an even score for the second half (42-45). Musa regained prominence after the restart, but Leday found no brake. The Stark Arena was released from mourning at times to push their team seeing the first income of the match after five minutes (51-49).
MADRID IS AGAIN FAVORITE TO GO TO KAUNAS
Andjusic moved his team well and Papapetrou pushed again. Then, Mateo recovered that area with two in front and three behind in defense with a Partizán without a margin of error once again in tow. Tavares once again left his mark on both sides of the track and Deck, with the thickness of Lessort to catch the rhythm at the crossroads, appeared from the line of three (55-61) on the way to the last quarter.
The last dance was given by Mateo to Sergio Rodríguez. The canary led the final assault, with nerves on both sides, losses that sowed doubts in both teams. Leday and Deck had a nice face-to-face until the Argentinian suffered a major injury three minutes from the end, run over by the American.
Two gifts from Williams-Goss were cured by Tavares with a 2+1 that reached the fifth game. Madrid was resurrected at the Stark Arena to continue aspiring to be in the ‘Final Four’ in Kaunas, where Barça is already waiting for them. Mateo’s men recover the field factor with a fifth and final game at the Palace on Wednesday, where Kevin Punter will return to Partizán, a leader they missed since the sanctions for the fight in the second game.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: PARTIZÁN, 78 – REAL MADRID, 85. (42-45, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
PARTIZÁN: Madar (6), Nunnally (2), Trifunovic (3), Leday (25) y Lessort (11) –quinteto inicial–; Andjusic (7), Smailagic (-), Exum (6), Papapetrou (18).
REAL MADRID: Williams-Goss (6), Hanga (15), Musa (14), Deck (14) and Tavares (15) –starting five–; Hezonja (5), Sergio Rodríguez (8), Rudy Fernández (-), Randolph (3), Cornelie (-), Llull (5).
–PARTIALS: 15-27, 27-18, 13-16, 23-24.
–REFEREES: Vilius, Lottermoser and Paternico. No deleted.
–PAVIL: Stark Arena.