By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The ACB Semifinals couldn’t start in a better and more exciting way, as Real Madrid and Joventut Badalona put on a show in the WiZink Center in Game 1 of their best-of-five series to advance to the ACB Finals against one between Barcelona and Unicaja Malaga. Surprisingly, the green-and-black team won 93-83.
The show was completely stolen by Kyle Guy. The 25-year-old former Virginia shooting guard was unstoppable, producing a performance of 30 points with 8/13 from beyond the arc and 5 assists. He keeps on being one of the hottest players in Europe following his outstanding offensive efforts during the Quarter-Finals against Baskonia and even got an ovation by the Madrid fans after his last made shot. Andres Feliz added 16 points.
On Real Madrid‘s side, Dzanan Musa had yet again another impressive night with 18 points. The 2022 ACB League MVP ended the game with. Both centers had an impressive night, ending Game 1 in double-double fashion. The MVP of the EuroLeague Final Four Walter Tavares had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Real Madrid, while the former Barcelona big man Ante Tomic put up 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Closing the first half up by three points (42-39) following an amazing three-pointer by the one and only Kyle Guy, Joventut Badalona entered the third quarter on an even better note, going up by 12 points (61-49) with 3:24 to play in the period. However, with 6:34 left in the game, Dzanan Musa tied things up at 73-73 to complete Real Madrid’s comeback.
¿¡Pero este tío!?
¿¡PERO ESTE TÍO!?
¿¡PERO ESTE TÍO ES HUMANO!?📺 @vamos | @kylejguy #PlayoffLigaEndesa#ListosParaRomperla pic.twitter.com/q4y3Oxkqo6
— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) June 6, 2023
However, from that moment Joan Plaza’s team went on a 10-2 run to force Chus Mateo’s timeout. The EuroCup side, which lost to Gran Canaria in the Semifinals of the European competition to miss on the opportunity of playing next year’s EuroLeague, never turned back, going to sleep up 1-0.
Before the game, Guerschon Yabusele was awarded the ACB League MVP of May, averaging 21.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 25 of efficiency in the last month of the regular season in Spain, being left out of EuroLeague action following the brawl in Game 2 of the Playoffs against Partizan Belgrade.
In the ACB Quarter-Finals, Real Madrid and Joventut Badalona advanced by respectively beating the EuroCup champions of Gran Canaria and the second-seeded Baskonia. In the other semifinal, FC Barcelona and Unicaja Malaga will face each other after eliminating Valencia and Lenovo Tenerife. All these best-of-three series ended in sweeping fashion.
ACB Semifinals schedule and results
Real Madrid – Joventut Badalona, G1: 83-93
Real Madrid – Joventut Badalona, G2 (08/06 at 21:00 CET)
Joventut Badalona – Real Madrid, G3 (10/06 at 18:30 CET)
Barcelona – Unicaja Malaga, G1 (07/06 at 21:00 CET)
Barcelona – Unicaja Malaga, G2 (09/06 at 21:00 CET)
Unicaja Malaga – Barcelona, G3 (11/06 at 18:30 CET)