By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid defeated UCAM Murcia 80 – 75 to improve to 18-4 in the Spanish ACB League and stay atop of the standings.
Murcia was up 37 – 45 early in the second half and Real Madrid reduced that margin to 55 – 53 late in the third quarter. The game was very close until the last minutes when Facu Campazzo put the hosts up 76 – 72 with 2:22 to play.
Rodions Kurucs hit a triple to make it 76 – 75, 1:03 before the final buzzer. That was the last Murcia scored in the game though while Campazzo and Tavares went 4-4 from the line in the last minute.
Dzanan Musa scored 15 points for a Real Madrid that had 7 – 33 from the 3-point line. Mario Hezonja (3 points, 0-7 triples) and Sergio Llull (9 points, 1-8 triples) were particularly off target from the perimeter.
Usman Garuba contributed 12 points plus nine rebounds while Edy Tavares had 10 points plus eight boards for Real.
Kurucs led Murcia with 15 points and 11 rebounds. DJ Stephens scored 15 and Simon Birgander dropped 14 points as their team dropped to 10-12.
Completing Round 22 of Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season later Sunday, La Laguna Tenerife pulled away early in the fourth quarter and repelled a late rally by hosting FC Barcelona for a win, 95-92.
Facing one of his former teams, 41-year-old Marcelinho Huertas posted a 19-point, 15-assist-double-double. David Kramer and Giorgi Shermadini shared a game-high 20 points.
With Jabari Parker missing a game-tying effort at the buzzer, Txus Vidorreta’s side jumped to 17-5 and pushed Barca to 12-10.
Fellow Turkish Airlines EuroLeague outfit, Baskonia defeated Dreamland Gran Canaria, 84-80, and improved to 11-11.
Pairing 23 points, a new individual best in the 2024-25 journey, with 11 rebounds, Killian Tillie was the top player for Unicaja in a home win, 95-78, over Coviran Granada on Saturday. The Malaga outfit improved to 17-5.
ACB Round 22
Valencia – Surne Bilbao 89-70
Unicaja – Coviran Granada 95-78
Rio Breogan – MoraBanc Andorra 94-74
Girona – Jovenut Badalona 83-76
BAXI Manresa – Leyma Coruna 104-89
Real Madrid – UCAM Murcia 80-75
Baskonia – Dreamland Gran Canaria 84-80
Hiopos Lleida – Casademont Zaragoza 97-91
FC Barcelona – La Laguna Tenerife 92-95
STANDINGS: Real Madrid 18-4, Unicaja 17-5, La Laguna Tenerife 17-5, Valencia 16-6, BAXI Manresa 13-9, Joventut Badalona 13-9…