Burgos, Spain – Real Madrid needed overtime to secure an 80-85 victory over Burgos Grupo de Santiago in a tightly contested Liga U Sub-22 matchup on Friday. The game, delayed by over 45 minutes due to a scoreboard malfunction, saw a spirited performance from Burgos, but Andrej Bjelic’s 19 points and Fabian Kayser’s 18 proved decisive for the Madrid side.
The win keeps Real Madrid (7-1) breathing down the neck of league-leading Barcelona (7-0) as the second phase of the Liga U tournament progresses. The two Spanish powerhouses are set to clash again, with the upcoming Clásico promising to be a pivotal contest in the race for the top spot.
Burgos started strong, capitalizing on the extended delay to establish a rhythm. They built a significant lead in the first half, reaching a double-digit advantage of 11 points (41-30). At halftime, Burgos held a 43-36 lead, extending it further in the third quarter to 48-38. However, they couldn’t maintain the momentum.
Real Madrid responded with a 10-21 run, spearheaded by four consecutive points from Osagioduwa, to seize the lead for the first time at the 33-minute mark (58-59). They stretched their advantage to seven points (60-67), but then experienced a scoring drought, allowing Burgos to rally with a devastating 10-0 run.
The final minutes of regulation were a nail-biter, with both teams trading free throws. Liam Krispin was clutch for Burgos, converting crucial free throws to put his team ahead 73-70 with 14 seconds remaining. Kayser then matched Krispin’s success from the line, but Marcos Bella missed his second attempt, sending the game into overtime after Kayser tied it up with seconds left.
In the extra period, Real Madrid demonstrated greater composure. Krispin briefly gave Burgos a late advantage (77-76) with a three-point play, but the lead was short-lived. A crucial three-pointer from Osagioduwa and subsequent free throws from Kayser and Diarra sealed the 80-85 victory for Real Madrid.
Despite a poor shooting night from beyond the arc (8/31, 25.8% efficiency), Real Madrid managed to pull out the win. Liam Krispin delivered a standout performance for Burgos, scoring a game-high 28 points – his best showing in the Liga U this season. For Real Madrid, Amosov was a force on the boards, playing over 42 minutes and finishing with 12 points and 9 rebounds, just shy of a double-double.
The victory is a significant result for Real Madrid as they continue to challenge Barcelona for the top spot in the Liga U standings. The team will need to maintain this level of performance as they prepare for a busy week, which includes a home game against Baxi Manresa on Friday and a highly anticipated rematch against Barcelona on Sunday. That Clásico, set to take place in Barcelona, will have major implications for the group lead.
Next week presents a double-header for Real Madrid, hosting Baxi Manresa on Friday at 19:00 local time, and then traveling to Barcelona for the crucial rematch against their rivals on Sunday at 16:00. The stakes are high as both teams vie for the top position in the group.
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