Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes played an unforgettable match that It was decided after four extensionssomething never seen before in the Euroleague, and in which the stellar performance of the Bosnian was decisive Dzanan Musa (40 points, 8 assists and 2 rebounds)who illuminated his team in moments of darkness and ended up showing them the way to their happy destiny.
The host team faced the event after having lost in its debut of the new year, also in the highest European competition and in the fiefdom of Barça. The objective was to leave the setback against the biggest rival as an anecdote and not to chain two defeats for the first time so far this year.
An 8-0 run after Elijah Bryant’s initial basket made it clear that the white team was showing its usual confidence. However, that blow did not knock down the rival, who was able to keep up the pace in a first half where both teams earned credit for their numbers from the three-point line. Up to twenty-eight distant attempts, fourteen per side, accumulated between each other in the initial twenty minutes. And only four of them converted, all in the final stages of each quarter before the intermission. Two were made by Mario Hezonja, who thus surpassed the 200 barrier in the tournament.
In that context, it was time to break the paint. There he was the most effective Real Madrid (13 of 19), but what he gained by shooting he lost by conceding offensive rebounds to his opponent. So, The confrontation was even when passing through the locker room (38-36, min.20).
At the box office Anadolu Efes found the triples that seemed to have been forgotten in the first half. Mike Daum, Tibor Pleiss and Darius Thompson took turns to convert 9 of their team’s first 13 points from the perimeter after the break, within a 5-17 run that set off alarm bells for Real Madrid (43-53, min.25).
The warning awakened Musa’s voracity. With eleven points in just over six minutes, the Bosnian took the team on his back and also the stands. Everyone in communion upset a visiting team that survived the downpour thanks to Shane Larkin’s triples (64-61, min.30).
Once the setback was overcome, the visiting side emerged with strength. Patient and successful in his attacks, he managed to go five up in less than three minutes. But Musa was not willing to go away empty-handed on one of his big nights, and he alone kept the duel tied with 27 seconds left. Larkin assumed the last attack of Efes and the sticky defense of Fabien Causeur forced him to a forced shot that did not go in, leading the outcome to the first extension.
The host started overtime with a triple by Campazzo and an alley oop by Walter Tavares after an assist from Musa. A good omen that gained strength thanks to two free throws from Hezonja that put his team four ahead. It was insufficient to despair Larkin, who canceled the distance with a 2+1 and a free throw resulting from a technical whistle on Tavares. That action ignited the stands., even more outraged if possible when considering that a foul should have been called on a three-point attempt by Musa shortly after. Each attack then became worth gold, frankincense and myrrh at the same time. Despite this, the two contenders wasted their options to punish.
This allowed Real Madrid to face the decisive 18 seconds with one point in favor and two free points for Campazzo. He missed the initial one and converted the second one. For his part, on the other hoop, Larkin added the two he had to make it 91-91 with 8 seconds left. Hezonja almost won, but his long shot went wide and forced him to five minutes more.
Three triples from Larkin, Pleiss and Thompson on the return to the court put the foreigners within nine with only 2:18 left until the final whistle. Even so, there was faith in the Madridistas’ chest. Tavares and Campazzo from the free throw line and Causeur with a triple brought their team closer. The tie was at the mercy of Hezonja, who on the horn he did his job and made up for what happened shortly before.
Larkin began the third addition intimidatingly with another triple, although this time the rest of his teammates did not follow. That led to tight margins and more excitement, if that seemed possible. They both held their own, despite their fatigue, and with 14 seconds left, Efes took the lead thanks to Dan Oturu. Tavares responded with a dunk for Larkin to move a piece for the last time, but he made a mistake in his drive to the basket.
The story was not over, then, with the Three Wise Men taking time to avoid crossing paths with those who had to return home from the pavilion, certainly after midnight. Campazzo and Tavares, with free kicks, and Hezonja from the outside, allowed the locals to take the initiative.
Anadolu Efes responded to everything in a tremendous exchange, in keeping with what was experienced during an unforgettable night. That was until a triple from Hezonja, with thirty-six seconds left, put his four team ahead. It was the finishing touch, the dream culmination of an unrepeatable confrontation that is already the intangible heritage of the Euroleague.
Datasheet
130 – Real Madrid (25+13+26+17+10+11+9+19): Campazzo (25), Causeur (5), Musa (40), Hezonja (31), Tavares (20) – starting team – Yabusele (2). Sergio Rodriguez (2), Poirier (5), Ndiaye (-), Abalde (-) and Llull (-).
126 – Anadolu Efes (18+18+25+20+10+11+9+11): Beaubois (10), Bryant (13), Thompson (21), Pleiss (14), Daum (15) -cinco titular- Larkin (32), Oturu (14) y Jones (7).
Referees: Matej Boltauzer (Slovenia), Robert Vyklicky (Czech Republic) and Sergio Silva (Portugal). They excluded Facundo Campazzo and Elijah Bryant by five personals.
Incidences: matchday 19 of the Euroleague played at the WiZink Center in front of around 12,000 spectators. In the preview, the award for best player of the month of December in the competition was given to Mario Hezonja.
2024-01-05 23:17:13
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