By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Sizzling Sergio Llull notched a few crucial shots helping Real Madrid break Baskonia‘s resistance for a 97-79 home win in Round 3 of Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Llull and Anthony Randolph opened the game strong combining for 21 points (13+8) in the first quarter which gave Real Madrid the initial push for the double-digit lead (34-24). The Baskonia duo of Marcelinho Huertas and Patricio Garino scored ten points each in the first half not allowing the hosts to create a bigger gap before the break (52-44).
The locker room talk seemed to help Baskonia as they nullified the deficit completely making it a tie at 65 near the end of the third quarter. However, Llull ‘banked’ two shots from behind the arc and along with Fabien Causeur’s 2+1 Real Madrid went ahead 74-65.
Baskonia showed some comeback effort early in the final period but the hosts managed to ward them off and secure the game.
“We did some things well, we overcame some difficulties but at the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth, they were pushing much more than us.”, Baskonia head coach Pedro Martinez explained.
Madrid’s Pablo Laso also agreed that was the crucial moment in the game: “We suffered more in the third quarter, they had a better rhythm but all in all, we were able to find solutions and our last quarter was very good both defensively and offensively.”
Llull led the victors with 23 points (4-7 three-pointers) and four assists while Rudy Fernandez added 14 points. Randolph and Causeur helped with 11 points each.
On the other side, Huertas scored 14 in addition to Garino’s 12 points.
After this victory, Madrid stayed undefeated with a 3-0 record while Baskonia stayed at one win (1-2).