Ricardo Molinelli
Madrid, May 28 (EFE).- Real Madrid scored the first point of their quarterfinal tie against Dreamland Gran Canaria by winning 95-68 in a game in which the Canaries barely lasted seven minutes, until Sergio ‘Chacho’ Rodríguez directed the winning inertia of his team.
Granca barely lasted seven minutes on court with options, which it took Real Madrid to adjust their game at the hands of Sergio ‘Chacho’ Rodríguez as soon as he appeared on court.
Until 11-9 (min.7.30), the game remained even, with Guerschon Yabusele failing and with Dzanan Musa almost the exclusive Real Madrid scorer. Later, the nothing or almost nothing of the islanders.
The end of the first quarter was 22-13, after a 11-4 run in the final 2:30 minutes.
The worst was yet to come because Gran Canaria took 6:15 minutes to score their first basket in the second act, 41-15, after a 19-0 run and a cumulative 30-6 record in less than 9 minutes.
It goes without saying that the game ended with that partial. Jaka Lakovic, the Canaries’ coach, did not find the formula to make his players react and Real Madrid, who do not need too many facilities to increase their score, took advantage of the highway offered by the rival to go to the changing rooms with a clear 51-25.
After trying to compose themselves at half-time, Gran Canaria opted to raise the level of their defence, but the game was already on track and Real Madrid’s winning inertia was enough to decide the first point of the playoff.
Olek Balcerowski, Vitor Benite and Damien Inglis were the most successful, but they only managed to prevent the point difference from being scandalous. At the end of the third quarter, 70-47.
The last quarter lacked history, Madrid saved energy and Granca reduced the gap, but without having any chance of victory. Madrid scored the first point of the playoff with more ease than expected with the final 95-68.
Datasheet:
95 – Real Madrid (22+29+19+25): Williams-Goss (5), Hanga (3), Tavares (6), Yabusele (8) and Musa (20) – starting five-, Causeur (5), Randolph (3), Rudy Fernandez (3), Hezonja (9), Sergio Rodriguez (11), Llull (16) and Ndiaye (6).
68 – Dreamland Gran Canaria (13+12+22+21): Balcerowski (15), Slaughter (10), Albicy (2), Brussino (2) and Shurna (3) -starting five-, Inglis (15), Kljajic (0), Benite (13), Salvó (2), Diop (2) and Nikolic (4).
Referees: Fernando Calatrava, Jorge Martínez, Joaquín García. No deleted.
Incidents: First match of tie C of the Endesa League playoff played at the Palacio de Los Deportes (WiZink Center) in Madrid before 7,558 spectators. The presence of the American Trey Thompkins, a former Real Madrid player, provoked the biggest ovation of the match. More than a minute. EFE