Real Madrid defeated Red Star Belgrade 105-84 in the EuroLeague behind a 17-of-36 shooting performance from three-point range at the Movistar Arena.
Pedro Martínez’s team started the match with high defensive intensity. Gabriele Procida scored 10 of his 19 points in the opening quarter to push the hosts ahead. Red Star coach Ibon Navarro called a timeout midway through the period with his squad trailing 19-9.
Chris Jones tried to orchestrate the offense for the Belgrade side, but Real Madrid maintained pressure with Sergio Llull directing the floor. Two consecutive three-pointers from the visitors narrowed the gap to 25-17. Llull responded by drawing fouls and pushing the pace alongside Timothée Luwawu-Cabarrot. The first quarter ended with Real Madrid holding a 38-20 advantage and a team efficiency rating of 52 to 13.
The long-range shooting continued after the break in the first half as Procida and Andrés Feliz extended the lead to 44-20. Red Star then mounted a 0-13 run fueled by fast breaks and led by Tyson Carter, cutting the deficit to 44-33.
Navarro’s side continued chipping away at the margin with a 2-19 stretch guided by Carter and Jones to make it 46-39. Carter picked up his third personal foul shortly after, leaving the floor as his team’s top scorer with 18 points. Jaime Pradilla broke Real Madrid’s scoring drought with a three-pointer and two free throws, stabilizing the hosts at 53-41 before an 8-0 run restored a 56-41 halftime cushion.
Real Madrid erased any lingering second-quarter doubts after the interval. Precise outside shooting and transition defense allowed Martínez’s team to stretch the margin past 20 points following a three-pointer by Okeke that made it 68-47.
The Belgrade club struggled to find clean looks against the defensive rotations. The Spanish side capitalized on the visitors’ offensive disarray to push the lead to 82-59 by the end of the third period.
With the outcome virtually secured, the difference peaked at 31 points at 95-64. Luwawu-Cabarrot finished with a game-high 22 points, leading an attack that also featured 13 points from Smith Jr and 11 from Feliz.
Red Star received 18 points from Carter, 12 from Jordan Nwora, and 11 from Baldwin Jr. The visitors left the Movistar Arena after arriving as one of the ‘gallitos’ of the EuroLeague.
Real Madrid recorded 38 points in the first quarter, 18 in the second, 26 in the third, and 23 in the fourth for their 105 total. Red Star posted 20, 21, 18, and 25 points across the four periods respectively in front of 8,670 spectators.
The officiating crew consisted of crew chief Robert Lottermoser of Germany, referee Kristaps Konstantinovs of Latvia, and referee Rain Peerandi of Estonia. Officials whistled a technical foul against Navarro during the fourth minute of the contest.
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