By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
One of the “loudest” surprises in this season’s Liga Endesα took place in the island of Tenerife. The local CB 1939 Canarias didn’t only win Real Madrid 93 – 84 but completely outplayed the reigning champs in the vast majority of the game.
Nicolas Richotti led the winners with 19 points plus 4 assists, and Tim Abromaitis dropped 13 and grabbed 5 rebounds. Four players of Tenerife scored double-digit numbers, in what was probably their best game in the season. For Real Madrid, that played without Gustavo Ayon, Sergio Rodriguez finished with 21 points and 5 assists.
The final score doesn’t even do justice to how superior the players of Tenerife were was against the opponents. The Madridistas had the upper hand only in the first period that ended 23 – 25, because after that, the hosts got way in a dominant manner. Coach Vidorreta’s players scored 23 points in the last 5 minutes of the second quarter, making it 56 – 43 at the end of the first half and then made sure to keep a firm grip on their lead.
While Real Madrid reacted a bit after the halftime break, Tenerife was offensively furious and practically unstoppable. When Nicolas Richotti banged the downtown shot for the 83 – 63, three minutes into the fourth quarter, it was like his whole team was making a point that their opponents would not leave “Santiago Martin” alive, no matter what. In the end, Tenerife celebrated its 11th victory in the season, while Real Madrid faced defeat number five.