By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid struggled in Belgrade against Partizan, in a crucial game for the final EuroLeague standings — a matchup that could propel them directly to the Playoffs or push them down to the Play-In.
Chus Mateo’s team was down by 10 points in the final period, trailing 76–85 with roughly four minutes remaining. But then Sergio Llull and Facundo Campazzo took over, turning the game around in the final moments.
Still, the match seemed headed for overtime after Carlik Jones scored with two seconds left. Mateo called a time-out to draw up the last play. The ball went to Walter Tavares, and the Real Madrid giant found a way to shoot over the 216-centimeter-tall Balša Koprivica, scoring at the buzzer and bringing his team its 20th win — one step closer to the Playoffs.
“It was amazing. They played really well. Sergio is one of the best when it comes to the final seconds of a game, so they thought the ball would go to him, but they gave it to me. I was happy to make the shot. I just wanted to finish as calmly as possible. I had a tough game — (Brandon) Davies had a great night, everybody was contesting shots and making everything. I was a bit frustrated, but I got a gift in the last second,” Tavares said after the match.
Real Madrid had a rollercoaster season in the EuroLeague, with many ups and downs, but ended the Regular Season on the right foot — thanks to Tavares’ clutch finish.
“The EuroLeague is tough. If you lose a game, it can cost you the whole series, the Playoffs, or even the Play-In. We didn’t start the season well. Wherever we end up, we’ll deserve it, because we didn’t begin the season the way we should have.”
The Spanish team recorded its seventh straight victory over Partizan in the EuroLeague — a streak that began with the infamous brawl in Game 2 of the 2022/23 Playoff series, when Real Madrid was down 0–2. They went on to make a historic comeback and have since won four more regular season games against the Belgrade team.
“There’s always a story. We try to play our best to win the game. Partizan is a great organization, and so is Real Madrid. They’ve respected each other for a long time. What happens during games is just part of the game — it’s natural.”
The Cape Verdean big man also made history in Belgrade, reaching 1,857 total rebounds in the EuroLeague and becoming the second all-time leading rebounder in the competition’s history.
Real Madrid now awaits the final outcome of Round 34, as their position in the standings is still not set. There’s still a scenario in which they could fall to seventh place and the Play-In if Anadolu Efes, Barcelona, and Panathinaikos all win.