By Alex Madrid/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite missing Alexey Shved, Khimki Moscow Region fought until the end, but Real Madrid got the 79-74 win. It was a nice present for Sergio Llull’s 31st birthday. The leader of Madrid had an off night with just six points, however, the key for the win was defense.
Not having Shved also played a big role, still, Khimki’s offense, especially at the end of the game, was malfunctioning. Jaycee Carroll with 15 points led a balanced effort for the winners with Fabien Causeur adding 13 points.
The hosts started the game with a 19-12 first quarter and kept their lead until half-time (41-35). However, Khimki turned the tables in the third with a 14-3 run, got the lead (55-54) and entered the last period trailing by one point (56-55) after a buzzer beater by Madrid’s Gabriel Deck.
The lead changed hands three times until the hosts had their own 14-4 run and the score became 74-64 in their favor with less than three minutes left in the game. Carroll scored five crucial points in this run and the game was practically over.
Madrid’s coach Pablo Laso admitted: “We played well at the beginning but they came back and it was a tough game. The only focus I have is to continue winning games and playing better as a team. The year is long.”
Tony Crocker with 16 points managed to cut the lead to seven for Khimki (74-67) and with 28 seconds on the clock, Jordan Mickey with a three (76-72) made it a two-possession game. Real Madrid closed the night with three free throws out of four attempts to seal the win. Anthony Gill also scored 16 points for Khimki and Jordan Mickey had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.