The penultimate duel of the regular phase of the Euroleague was approached by both sides in a different way. The local team with their homework done and an honorary degree as a mark for their first place; the visitor with the pending task of winning to continue competing after the regular phase.
However, Fabien Causeur and Mario Hezonja showed that they did not understand relaxation. The Frenchman was fine at the start against his former team and the Croatian continued to do well to raise his price, which at this rate will be through the roof when summer arrives. Between them they added 19 of his team’s first 23 points.
Meanwhile, Baskonia found it difficult to connect despite the need. Without rushing, he ended up getting going at the end of the first quarter with a final run of 0-5 that helped him correct his erratic scoring path a little, a minor consolation being ten down at that point (27-17, min.10).
Real Madrid took off again at the dawn of the second act, but between Tadas Sedekerskis and Howard they pulled their team back. In fact, the Basque team came within three points. There the host pressed again, which did no more damage because Howard again appeared providentially with five saving points before the break (48-42, min.20).
The American’s external recital did not end there, hot as a stove when it came to aiming at the hoop. Three of his triples, plus seven points from Costello, concluded with two minutes left in the decisive quarter a comeback that was at times improbable (58-60, min.28).
In this way, the outcome was at the mercy of the final ten minutes. Real Madrid started with a better feeling thanks to Dzanan Musa, but a brilliant 0-13 run, for the umpteenth time, thanks to the insistence of Howard and Costello, broke the contest and seemed to roll out the red carpet for Baskonia.
The easy thing for the white side would have been to lower their arms and allow themselves to be knocked down. But in addition to talent he has pride. And he showed it, fighting when he had no reason to remain threatening. So much so that he approached one and woke up the crowd. Only the craftsmanship and hunger of the visitors broke the spell to give them the prize they had come to look for.
– Datasheet:
91 – Real Madrid (27+21+16+27): Campazzo (12), Causeur (13), Hezonja (18), Yabusele (12), Tavares (6), -starting five-, Poirier (9), Deck (5) Llull (-), Musa (16), Sergio Rodríguez (-).
95 – Baskonia (17+25+23+30): Miller-Mcintyre (4), Kotsar (4), Díez (5), Marinkovic (3), Moneke (11) -five starters-, Sedekerskis (9), Howard (35), Costello (19), Rogkavopoulos (5), Chiozza (-).
Referees: Mehdi Difallah (France), Tomislav Hordov (Croatia) and Saulius Racys (Sweden). Tavares was excluded for five fouls (min.39).
Incidents: matchday 33 of the Euroleague played at the WiZink Center in front of 9,484 spectators. EFE
