By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After defeating Zaragoza and Partizan, it seemed that Real Madrid was back on the winning track, but Chus Mateo’s side slipped again in the domestic championship.
In Round 3 of the ACB League, the defending champions suffered an 83-79 road defeat to Bilbao Basket, despite Gabriel Deck scoring 23 points with six rebounds.
Kristian Kullamae led the winning side with 18 points, Thijs De Ridder and Marvin Jones scored 11 points each, while Zoran Dragic added 10 points.
Deck had good support from Mario Hezonja, who scored 18 points, and Facundo Campazzo, who added 16 points and eight assists, but it wasn’t enough for Real Madrid.
Elsewhere in Round 3 of Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season, FC Barcelona went from bouncing back from a nine-point deficit early in the second half to nearly mishandling an 11-point cushion in crunch time. The team coached by Joan Penarroya survived to prevail, 95-91, against La Laguna Tenerife in Santiago Martin on Sunday.
Pushing his side to a 3-0 start in the domestic league, Nicola Laprovittola piled up 22 points with 8/13 field goals, including four three-pointers. Fellow point guard Tomas Satoransky followed with 12 points. Joel Parra (right foot) and Dame Sarr (left leg) remained on the injury list.
On the losing end, Giorgi Shermadini logged a team-high 19 points with 7/19 field goals. Scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter, David Kramer ended up with 18 points. The team coached by Txus Vidorreta also lost 32-year-old swingman Joan Sastre to injury in the third period.
ACB Round 3
Baskonia – UCAM Murcia 95-92 OT (84-84)
Unicaja – Hiopos Lleida 101-63
MoraBanc Andorra – Leyma Coruna 112-87
Girona – Coviran Granada 52-82
Surne Bilbao – Real Madrid 83-79
BAXI Manresa – Dreamland Gran Canaria 79-58
Rio Breogan – Valencia 75-87
Casademont Zaragoza – Joventut Badalona 96-95 OT (85-85)
La Laguna Tenerife – FC Barcelona 91-95
STANDINGS: Unicaja 3-0, FC Barcelona 3-0, Valencia 2-1, BAXI Manresa 2-1, Surne Bilbao 2-1, MoraBanc Andorra 2-1, Dreamland Gran Canaria 2-1, Casademont Zaragoza 2-1…