By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite missing Jaycee Carroll and Nicolas Laprovittola, Real Madrid still had enough firepower in order to get the 72-63 road win against ALBA Berlin. Thanks to a team effort with Fabien Causeur scoring 13 points and Carlos Alocen adding 12, the “Whites” got their 15th win in the season and remain among the top four of the standings.
Real Madrid never trailed in the game, getting into a 22-14 first-quarter lead, then getting a 14-point advantage during the third period (50-36) and leading by 16 (63-47) at the start of the fourth period.
Real Madrid coach Pablo Laso said: “We played pretty solid in the first half, got the advantage to 10 points but it was hard to hold it. We started the third quarter well but we made a couple of mistakes that could have given us more distance on the scoreboard. We had the game under control but we made a couple of mistakes offensively plus they came back with threes. So we knew we had to fight until the end and we did it. Happy with the victory. The defense was key because we knew that Lo and Granger are very creative, I think we stopped Eriksson on his shooting. We controlled the big guys and we controlled the boards, and pick and roll is difficult with these players but we did it pretty well.”
The hosts didn’t give up and made it a two-point game (65-63) with three minutes left after an 11-0 run. However, Walter Tavares (9 p. 9 r.) made the score 68-63 with a goal-foul, Gabriel Deck also scored (70-63) with Causeur giving the assists on both cases and the game was over.
Luke Sikma with 16 points was once more the leader of the Berliners who now have an 8-15 record.
ALBA Berlin coach Aito Garcia Reneses added: “Real Madrid has quality, beginning with Edy Tavares. Not only did he make three blocks but also we were afraid when we penetrated and we missed a lot of shots with a bad percentage in two-pointers. We are not used to playing against this, to learn we need time so it’s good to play the EuroLeague because it’s a very good experience. More than winning, we want to be a better team every time. In the second half, we played good defense and ran well, but Tavares determines many games.”