Overcoming the curse that seems to have fallen on his centers, the real Madrid ended the wonderful story that the Valencia Basket (90-105) and will be in the final of the Euroleague. The whites will fight tomorrow against Olympiacos to conquer your twelfth European Cup. They will do it with the already known casualties of Tavares and Leon. He also joined them Garubathe only healthy ‘5’ left. He injured his left leg at the beginning of the fourth quarter. In the absence of evidence, things seem serious. The Madridistas will face an even more difficult situation.
Usman Garuba on the ground after injuring his left leg.
He Valenciain its premiere in a Final Fourwas far from its best version on the most important day in its history. Despite the ease with which he scored, taking advantage of the loss of rival towers, He almost never controlled the score or the pace.. The whites overwhelmed on the rebound: 31 to 48 with 19 offensive. They had a lot to do with it deck and Happywith eight between the two and 16 points for the first and 15 for the second. Accompanying a Hezonja who responded on H-day: 25 and seven catches.
Best start for Madrid
He MadridAt first, he wanted to go more than the Valenciawhich is saying something. Two triples that anticipated the flood while the Valencia scored very comfortably without the intimidating presence of Tavares and Len. Taylor I saw the sky open to penetrate and Key He hung from the hoop. The white attack depended on Abalde and Hezonjasuperior to his peers playing with his back to the basket. Between the two they scored the first 13 points of your team. Later they were added Maledon (12), Lyles (17+7) and the momentum of deckbut the taronjas did not hang down. In a fast-paced first quarter, except for two triples, all his baskets were in the painting (28-26).
In the second the perfect storm of the Madridwith 7/12 in triples. An irrepressible aim with two hits Lyles, Happy and Campazzo and another one of Okeke. The whites, who became 11 up (43-54)they reached the break with an astonishing 11/19 from the goal. Any other team would have drowned, but not this one Valencia. It was entrusted to Huntsmanwho didn’t score until the 13th minute, but then plugged in.
An image of the match between Madrid and Valencia.
The taronjas continued to extract oil in the Madrid area and thus survived in a first half of record: 56-62. The 118 points sets turned it into the highest scorer in Final Four history. He Fenerbahce He scored 61 points in the entire first semifinal. They seemed like different sports.
In the resumption the tap of the triples of the Madridbut Hezonja He found ways to keep adding. put nine points in the third quarter and led a breakaway that threatened to be definitive (70-86). Maledon helped as much as the offensive rebounds. Happywith his 1.86, burst under the rival hoop with ferocity until he became a colossus. He Valencia he bled to death, failing triples releasedbut he did not give up.
Garuba’s injury
In the 31st minute the blow came to the Madrid. In a rush, Garuba He injured his left leg. He remained lying on the ground. He needed help to get to the bench and then to the locker room. In these circumstances, until Okeke He had to go to ‘5’. The whites stayed cold and the Valencia took the opportunity to adjust to 80-88, but he needed one more effort in the rarefied atmosphere that populated the OAKA. Happy He put the triumph of the whites to safety. They will fight for the twelfth and Scariolofor his first. Without Tavareswithout Leonwithout Garuba and against a colossal Olympiacos. The epic remains.
Technical sheet
90 – Valencia Basket (28 + 28 + 17 + 17): Montero (15), Badio (4), Taylor (11), Reuvers (15), Pradilla (13) -starting five-, Sako (6) Key (13), Costello (3), De Larrea (3), Thompson (3), Moore (-), Nogues.
105 – Real Madrid (26 + 36 + 24 + 19): Campazzo (8), Abalde (5), Hezonja (23), Okeke (5), Garuba (2) -starting five-; Lyles (17), Procida (), Maledon (12), Almansa (-), Deck (16), Garuba (2), Llull (-), Feliz (15).
Referees: Robert Lottermoser, Mehdi Difallah, Olegs Latisevs. Branco Badio was eliminated for fouls