By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Sidestepping the resistance of Dreamland Gran Canaria, Real Madrid swept a best-of-three series behind a 73-71 victory in Gran Canaria Arena on Friday evening.
In Game 2 of the Quarterfinals series, Cape Verdean center Walter Tavares combined 13 points with eight rebounds. Dzanan Musa followed with 12 points, Sergio Llull threw in 11 points, Facundo Campazzo had ten points, and Mario Hezonja tallied six of his eight points in the fourth period. John Shurna produced a game-high 19 points in the last game of the season for the team coached by Jaka Lakovic.
Holding on down the stretch to get the job done in the opening round of Spain’s Liga Endesa, the defending Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions and most recently winners of Spain’s Copa del Rey earned additional preparation space for the Final Four of Europe’s premier club continental competition and a rematch of last season’s championship game opposite Olympiacos in Berlin’s Uber Arena. They emerged as the first team to clinch a berth in the Semifinals.
Besides Gabriel Deck (right knee) ruled out for the remainder of the season, Carlos Alocen was a healthy scratch for the ream guided by Chus Mateo. Amar Gegic sat out for Granca.
ACB Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best-of-three)
A – Unicaja – BAXI Manresa 1-0 (87-79)
B – Valencia – UCAM Murcia 0-0
C – Real Madrid – Dreamland Gran Canaria 2-0 (105-70, 73-71)
D – FC Barcelona – Lenovo Tenerife 0-0
Semifinals (best-of-five)
Winners A-B
Real Madrid – Winner D
Finals (best-of-five)
Winners of Semifinals
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net