The merengue team gives the WiZink Center a brilliant victory (130-126) in four overtimes
MADRID, 6 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid beat Anadolu Efes this Friday by a historic 130-126 at home, in a match corresponding to matchday 19 of the Regular Phase of the Euroleague and which was resolved after four overtimes, all tremendous, and with outstanding roles from the Bosnian Dzanan Musa and Croatian Mario Hezonja among the Real Madrid fans.
On the WiZink Center field, while the traditional Three Kings parade through the Central District took place in the capital of Spain, both the merengue team and their guest gave a gift to the attendees in the form of a great game, with alternations and a lot of tension.
Real Madrid got off to a better start, with an 8-2 run driven by Fabien Causeur and Dzanan Musa himself, who from there grabbed his team's stripes. Efes came close on several occasions (10-9, 12-11, 14-13, 16-15) thanks to the work of Darius Thompson, Elijah Bryant and Shane Larkin in the first quarter, especially with long shots.
But a new spurt, led by Mario Hezonja and Walter 'Edy' Tavares, sealed the score at 25-18 at the end of the 10th minute. Two successful shots by Tyrique Jones and another later by Tibor Pleiss closed the gap, taking advantage of the scoring drought of the Real Madrid. Dan Oturu, in the paint, completed the visitors' comeback (31-33) before Chus Mateo moved pieces in the Madrid interior game.
The usual defensive intimidation of Vincent Poirier had its effect and that was combined with new offensive appearances by Musa and Hezonja, maintaining the advantage despite a triple that Bryant scored just before the break (38-36). In the third act was where Real Madrid faltered the most, going 10 down (43-53) after several baskets by Mike Daum.
However, Musa once again put on the hero suit with a 2+1 that emboldened the WiZink Center. Hezonja followed as the Bosnian's faithful squire and they were also joined by Facu Campazzo, who responded with a triple to another previous one by Larkin (58-58). For Efes it was essential to trust the Cincinnatti point guard, and he understood it with another great triple.
This is how Larkin established the 64-61 with which the fourth period began, of madness and carats. The Turkish team led until 71-76, until Hezonja equalized it, and later Musa made it 79-79 by scoring from beyond the arc. In the last minute and a half of regulation time, Larkin and the Bosnian did not miss their respective free throws.
Campazzo desperately missed a triple and the game went to the first overtime at 81-81. The Argentine point guard made up for it by opening those five extra minutes, this time, with a triple. But the team coached by Erdem Can was not disfigured by adversity, they rowed hard and, with the help of Larkin, tied the score again (91-91).
Llull returned from the bench 'touched' to threaten with one of his 'tangerines', but with the clock running out he assisted Hezonja; The Croatian forward missed his triple, miraculously because the ball made the 'tie', and the game headed into its second overtime. Then the epic merengue appeared, turning a 93-102 that seemed definitive.
TAVARES AND CAMPAZZO JOIN THE FESTIVAL
Two consecutive triples, achieved by Pleiss and Thompson, had put that difference in the electronic. Tavares on the inside, Campazzo in the middle distance and Causeur from beyond 6.75 meters accomplished the feat, which Hezonja signed with a hook over the horn to force the third overtime (102-102).
The pavilion was abuzz, the match was already historic by statistics and what was really important was still missing: knowing the winner. Oturu stood out in that third overtime, with two free throws that he combined with a basket to make it 109-111. From high up, Tavares smashed the basket and tied (111-111), leaving Larkin with the option of preventing a fourth overtime; With no luck in shooting him, the battle continued.
It was approaching midnight in an event that had started at 8:45 p.m. local time, and in that context of survival, Real Madrid exhibited its leadership as the top leader at the continental level. Their heavyweights, such as Tavares and Campazzo, made the most of themselves to shine alongside Musa and especially Hezonja, who made the locals smile in the finale.
With Larkin out of luck and Bryant eliminated due to personal fouls, only Oturu and Thompson kept the pace for Efes before the collective collapse. Those from Istanbul ran out of fuel at the worst moment of all and certified their defeat in an evening to remember.
This victory, which leaves the Clásico lost the previous day in anecdote, put Real Madrid with a balance of 17-2 to continue leading this Euroleague. Meanwhile, Efes, reborn for this fight of giants, is left with a record of 7-12 in the bottom positions and mired in a streak of irregularity.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: REAL MADRID, 130 – ANADOLU EFES, 126 (38-36, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
REAL MADRID: Campazzo (25), Causeur (5), Musa (40), Hezonja (31) and Tavares (20) — the starting quintet –; Llull (-), Poirier (5), Ndiaye (-), Abalde (-), S. Rodriguez (2) and Yabusele (2).
ANADOLU EFES: Thompson (21), Beaubois (10), Bryant (13), Daum (15) and Pleiss (13) –starting quintet–; Jones (7), Oturu (14) and Larkin (32).
–PARTIALS: 25-18, 13-18, 26-25, 17-20, 10-10, 11-11, 9-9 and 19-15.
–REFEREES: Boltauzer, Vyklicky and Silva. They eliminated Campazzo at Real Madrid and Bryant at Anadolu Efes due to personal fouls.
–PAVILLION: WiZink Center, 8,221 spectators.