By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Tucking in the game-winning three-pointer, Kevin Punter left 0.4 seconds on the clock, not enough for Real Madrid to react. Partizan Mozzart Bet secured the win, 89-87, in WiZink Center Tuesday.
Punter, 29, went on a frenzy in the second quarter dropping 13 points as the visitors went up by eight points. Falling short against improved defense held him scoreless throughout the third period, but recovered in style and added 11 more points in the last ten minutes, including the deciding step-back triple. A sum of 26 points behind 6/11 field goals in Game 1 of the best-of-five series of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.
“I just wanted to switch. I knew if I get the switch, I would milk it down into my spot,” he described the game-winning effort.
“It’s only Game 1,” added Punter during the flash interview. However, the team coached by Zeljko Obradovic drawing the win on the road can be huge in the battle for a Final Four berth. Game 2 will be played in the same Madrid venue Thursday. With a possible clinching opportunity at home, Game 3 will move the series to Belgrade next week.
“Luck was on our side. Kevin made the shot. We know his quality,” noted the legendary play-caller sporting a EuroLeague trophy with the Whites back in 1995 on the long list of achievements, “It’s on the players. The players decide the game.”
“That was a big win. It’s the Playoffs. We know how important it is to be able to win on the road,” said Mathias Lessort after contributing 11 points, “But at the end of the day, it’s only one win. We need two more.”
Walter Tavares exit
Dealing with a knee issue, Walter Tavares stayed on the bench for most of the second half after logging nearly 21 minutes of action with 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block. “He is going to test it tomorrow. We hope it’s not serious,” mentioned Chus Mateo in the postgame press conference, “We have to wait until tomorrow because I don’t want to say anything I don’t know.”
“We tried our best without Tavares too. We even went into an advantage. It’s not easy to lose like this. But anyway we have to keep fighting,” the losing head coach commented on the team performance minus EuroLeague’s all-time leader in blocks.
Gabriel Deck completing a three-point lead shaped the 87-86 lead and also drew Zach LeDay’s fifth foul with 21.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Argentine forward made 8/8 two-pointers to register a team-high 24 points in the losing effort.
Besides Vincent Poirier (appendicitis) and Carlos Alocen (left knee) sidelined as expected, Alberto Abalde and Petr Cornelie did not dress.
Tweaking the starting lineup
Among surprise starters, Alen Smailagic scored nine of his 11 points in the first quarter. More unexpected picks for Obradovic were Aleksa Avramovic and Uros Trifunovic, and it disrupt Madrid’s defensive plans in the first half. Despite the early exit of defensive leader, Tavares, the home side actually locked in limiting the opponents, especially in the third quarter.
Refusing to give up as momentum seemed to go the other way, the Serbian club backed by Punter’s clutch qualities stole the homecourt advantage and also banked in the first-ever away win after 11 losses in as many games against the European powerhouse in Spain’s capital.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net