By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid is not in the best possible shape, but getting a 92-83 win over them in Spain is not a small feat.
Zalgiris did exactly that and the final score is even flattering for the “Whites”.
Lonnie Walker put on a show early with 21 points in the first half. He didn’t score after that, but he simply didn’t need to.
“We started great in the first half, I come in hot, playing my game, and in the second half it was a collective team win”, Walker said after the final buzzer to EuroLeague TV.
Sylvain Fransisco added 17 points, while the duo of Brade Manek and Alen Smailagic scored 13 points each.
“We kept our composure without playing well and that’s a great step for my team”, said coach Andrea Trinchieri at the start of the second half.
Dzanan Musa with 15 points was the scorer of Real Madrid, however, neither he nor any other player could turn the tide, as the Spanish powerhouse dropped to a 6-9 record and Zalgiris is at 9-6.
Zalgiris is in absolute control
Walker set the tone as Zalgiris led by five after the first quarter (24-19) and extended the lead to 17 points (43-26) in the second.
Despite Madrid’s effort to get into the game by cutting the lead to 11 points (45-34) after a three by Sergio Llull and an 8-2 run, Zalgiris’ answer was their own 9-1 run which pushed their lead to 19 (54-35).
Llull with one more three for a total of 12 first-half points closed the score to 54-38 at halftime, still, Zalgiris was in control.
The tension was high, Real Madrid’s coach Chus Mateo was ejected after three minutes of play in the second half and Zalgiris kept things in check.
The score at the end of the third period was 72-60 for the guests and was stretched to 78-60 and to 88-71 in the fourth. The best thing that Madrid could do was to trim the final point difference.
Photo credit: EuroLeague