By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid was mostly in control but needed an extra period to take down FC Bayern Munich, 81-76, at the Audi Dome Friday evening.
Edy Tavares dominating in large stretches of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 20 contest made 11 out of his 14 two-point attempts ending up with a career-high 26 points. He also grabbed nine rebounds.
Both sides struggling from long-range up to the final minutes of the fourth quarter heavily focused on their inside game ultimately favoring the Cape Verdean center. His career-night was combined with a fourth straight win on the road in Europe’s premier club competition.
“I am super happy for the win here, it was a very difficult one against a team that is playing great this year,” pointed out Tavares following the conclusion, “The most important thing was to be able to stay into the game, they are tough, they play hard, so we are super happy. [In overtime] we needed to try to do what we did in regular time. We hit a couple of shots down the stretch and now I’m tired, really tired.”
“Tavares did a great job, Thompkins too, everyone stepped up and did a great job to get a big away win,” added head coach Pablo Laso, “You learn a lot in every game, we knew that Bayern plays very good, that they are a very solid team and play with a lot of energy. Reynolds is at a very high level, and it’s difficult to stop him. The first lesson is that every day in the Euroleague is like this, very difficult.”
Gabriel Deck put in 12 points and Rudy Fernandez nearly clinching the “W” with a couple of threes late in the fourth period finished with 10 points to his name. Sergio Llull and Anthony Randolph were out but Madrid launching a 7-0 run stretching into the final minute of overtime earned the “W”.
“We were very smart on offense in overtime, we looked for the right situations, we had the patience and defensively we were solid too,” noted Laso, “Taylor did a great job on defending Seeley first, and Baldwin, and that gives us a lot of options knowing that we have the guy who is going to stop the ball.”
Jalen Reynolds registered a team-high 18 points for Andrea Trinchieri’s side. Wade Baldwin IV had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the third losing effort at home this season.
“We didn’t find a way to stop Tavares but we are not the only ones that have this problem,” argued Trinchieri, “I believe we had a chance to win the game but we blew it, and we didn’t have the energy to play the overtime. We played 48 hours ago and Real had a suspended game so I have to be realistic.”
The Whites up 13-6 will host Crvena Zvezda mts Monday in a suspended game originally planned to be held this week. Up next, a trip to Israel and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Thursday.
The hosts with Nihad Dedovic, Zan Mark Sisko, and Robin Amaize sidelined fell to 12-8 in a quick turnaround following Wednesday’s home win against Zenit Saint-Petersburg. They will be in Italy next Thursday to take on AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano.