By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
What Real Madrid is doing at the start of the season is almost unbelievable. Chus Mateo’s side is notching win after win. Even in-form Virtus Segafredo Bologna couldn’t end their streak.
Defending champions improved to 6-0 at the start of the season in EuroLeague, and 16-0 overall in all competitions with a commanding 100-74 win to end Luca Banchi’s side run of five straight victories in elite continental competition.
Facundo Campazzo had another incredible game, finishing with a double-double of 18 points and 11 assists, just four rebounds shy of a historic triple-double. The Argentinian had a career-high PIR of 39 after less then 28 minutes on the court.
“I don’t mind the stats right now. I’m just happy that we won the game and stayed on zero losses,” Facu said about his record breaking performance.
Edy Tavares followed the hero with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Guerschon Yabusele added just one point less, with the same amount of rebounds.
Three more players ended the match in double digits for the winning side, with Gabriel Deck scoring 11, and Fabien Causeur and Dzanan Musa adding 10 each.
For Virtus, only Marco Belinelli was the top scorer with 15 points, while October and Round 6 MVP Toko Shengelia ended the match with 12 points, six boards, and four assists. Daniel Hackett scored nine points, but added three rebounds and assists for a PIR of 15. The rest weren’t up to the task.
The game started getting out of reach for the visiting side already in the second quarter, with Real Madrid making an 25-4 run to end the half leading 53-37. Virtus Bologna couldn’t cope after that, the difference soon went over 20 points, and midway through the third period it was only a question of the final score, with the winner already being determined.
Chus Mateo on Real Madrid’s secret: “Not being complacent”
Real Madrid’s coach, Chus Mateo, expressed his admiration for his players’ impressive start to the season.
“We don’t give it too much importance, but it’s very commendable what the guys are doing because they’re playing against high-level teams and we’re winning. I hope we understand that the day we don’t put in enough effort or don’t respect the opposing team, we can lose. It’s very difficult to maintain focus for ninety matches,” Mateo said.
Is there any secret formula? What’s behind 16-0 start of the season?
“Not being complacent, always thinking that we can do better, that what’s been won is in the past. Tomorrow, we start working on another opponent, and that ambition, that voracious hunger, helps us keep competing. As a coach, I appreciate that competitive spirit that sometimes flows. If we’re not like that, we’re vulnerable, and when you don’t respect your work or the opponent… you’re vulnerable. We have to be strong and keep going.”
Luca Banchi: “Our DNA is different, we need more energy”
Virtus Bologna’s head coach, Luca Banchi, gave his impressions after the match, pointing out key aspects of the game that determined the winner and discussing his team’s attitude.
“We played a good offensive game in the first period. However, Real has an incredible ability to score. In the second quarter, the gap became too wide, and we lost possession too many times. After that, it was difficult, though I appreciate the effort to get back and stay in the game. But if you fall so far behind against Madrid, it becomes really complicated. We’ll try to take the best we can from tonight. We’re coming off a tough defeat in Italy. We need to focus on the next game and bring a different attitude. Our DNA is different, and if we want to stay competitive, we need to bring a higher level of energy,” Banchi said after his team fell to more then acceptable 5-2 score.