By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
One crazy sequence of plays and a magnificent buzzer beater from the parking lot, courtesy of Sergio Llull probably overshadowed everything else this weekend in Liga Endesa.
The combo guard of Real Madrid (17-4) fired a bomb from extremely long range, giving his team the victory over Valencia (19-2) in a finale for the ages. One that reminds us the reasons why we love basketball so much. Does it not?
¡¡¡La canasta del año!!! ¡¡¡¡@23Llull gana el partido desde su pista!!!! (94-95) #LigaEndesa https://t.co/3gDHHTfxhy
— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) February 28, 2016
What is even more crazy, is the fact that this was the only time after the initial 0-2, when Real Madrid actually got the lead in the game! Valencia was in control for the vast majority, managing to outperform the Madridistas in any possible aspect. Yet in the very last minutes, Pablo Laso’s players took advantage of some bad shooting by their opponents, getting closer and closer, until Llull made it 92 – 90 and then tied the game with 24 seconds to go. Antoine Diot’s floater would have given Valencia the win…. if Sergio Llull didn’t bang a shot that will be remembered for a long long time.
Barcelona (19-2) took advantage of their.. arch-rivals’ win in order to catch up with Valencia at the first place of the standings. Thanks to a strong team output, the Catalans passed from Zaragoza (6-15) with absolutely no problem.
Earlier, most of the favorites in the other games didn’t have any problems against their opponents. Laboral Kutxa (17-4) demolished Estudiantes (4-17), while Fuenlabrada (12-9) confirmed its playoff status by taking the road win against Manresa (7-14) .
Bilbao used the weapon it has guided the Basques so far, which is no other than the splendid defense, in order to overpower Andorra (9-12) and Gran Canaria (14-7) defeated San Sebastian (4-17), perhaps more easily than what the final score shows.
Last, but definitely not least, Murcia (10-11) exposed all possible defensive problems of Unicaja Malaga (10-11) grabbing one of its most important victories in the season so far, claiming a place at the top 8 teams in the standings. The is definitely not the best period for the Andalusians that are out of the playoff spots.
Liga Endesa 2015/2015 – Day 21
Bilbao (Clevin Hannah 20 p. 7 a.) – Andorra: 67 – 58
Manresa – Fuenlabrada (Marko Popovic 18 p. 5 a.): 73 – 78
Unicaja Malaga – Murcia (Facu Campazzo 16 p. 8 a.) : 79 – 90
Sevilla (Ondrej Balvin 14 p. 17 r.) – Obradoiro: 67 – 58
Tenerife (Javier Beiran 14 p. 4 r.- Joventut Badalona: 73 – 68
Laboral Kutxa (Darius Adams 23 p.) – Estudiantes: 107 – 77
San Sebastian – Gran Canaria (Albert Oliver 20 p.): 79 – 87
Valencia – Real Madrid (Anders Nocioni 17 p. 5 r.): 94 – 95
Zaragoza – Barcelona (Tomas Satoransky 10 p. 7 r. 6 a).: 76 – 87