He Madrid He seems to have turned his greatest weakness into a strength. After adding four defeats in five trips, the whites beat Hapoel in their Bulgarian bastion, the same one where only Maccabi had managed to triumph to date. The baskets … of Hezonja or the energy of Feliz They were decisive in the defeat inflicted on the leader of the table, but, without a doubt, it was their choral defense that was to blame for such success. Those of Scariolo They managed to minimize the powerful Hebrew arsenal to, in the last possessions, commit two robberies that put an end to the contest.
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Hapoel Tel Aviv
Jones (14), Micic (8), Bryant (13), Wainright (6), Oturu (6); Motley (10), Blakeney (14), Malcolm (3). -
Real Madrid
Campazzo (11), Abalde (11), Hezonja (19), Okeke (0), Tavares (4); Lyles (2), Maledon (6), Deck (9), Garuba (4), Llull (3), Feliz (6).
Imposing was Madrid’s offensive display against Hapoel. The Israelis, with the help of a checkbook, have built a fearsome team, with numerous stars and from which no one has managed to take the lead after the first 12 days. However, the king of kings loves to be challenged, the battles for greatness and in Bulgaria, from the beginning they felt full. Campazzo pulled the strings with a speed that was dizzying, Abalde crushed from long distance and Tavares He denied the paths to the hoop. The combination, although almost always successful, did not discourage the locals, who, with the help of the ex-Valencianista Chris Jonesthey always found a scenario to return the slap.
Hezonja He also wanted to make himself noticed as soon as he came off the bench and, with seven consecutive points, together with a new triple from Campazzomade the whites take off. The pace was not even considered to slow down, the possessions were so unpredictable and volatile that it seemed that both sides were risking their necks. In that chaos, Hapoel survived (18-22).
As usual in recent weeks, Maledon took control of the match. With his penetrations and assists, being Garuba y Deck The most benefited from his vision, the Scariolo boys reached a ten-point lead. The successful quintet was completed Lyles y Felizwho seems to have found his role in this team, the Dominican delighted in the role of tireless warrior, infinite defibrillator.
They pressed the meringues to open a gap, although Hapoel without hesitation discovered its range of resources to stay in the slipstream, and that Micictheir best player, only had one basket halfway through the second act. Sure confirmed the trend with a spectacular two-handed dunk after escaping from Tavares with a fantastic feint, an action that, followed by another triple from Jones, put the locals within just one goal. Only a layup from Campazzo allowed Scariolo’s team to gain some oxygen before the break (36-39).
With a lot of ambition, Madrid returned from the locker room wanting to do damage. As in the first part, they were Come on y Abalde the most successful from long distance, the same insistence that the Israelis showed in staying afloat thanks to the individualities of the Americans Sure y Bryant. Your compatriot Blakeney and then Mobley They hit from the triple, pecks crowned by a genius from Micic that put Hapoel six up. When it was most necessary, the meringues executed some of the most intimidating defenses and, after a layup at the horn of Felizreturn to the lead (58-60).
No one managed to prevail in the suffocating combat, minutes passed and every action was followed by an imposing reply. Abalde’s expulsion did seem to endanger the solemn wall that kept Madrid alive in Bulgaria. However, this one remained standing and two steals ended in two easy layups that sealed the duel for the visitors.
