Hezonja was more Super Mario than ever. The Croatian forward gave Madrid the victory against Baskonia with a triple in the last second in a heart-stopping finale at the Movistar Arena. Chus Mateo celebrated his 56th birthday with a victory in the Euroleague against his teacher Pablo Laso, who was applauded again upon returning home. The duel was decided by the best soloist, author of 22 points, like Campazzo and Rogkavopoulos, and a triple for the newspaper library.
Madrid caught a good handful of easy baskets in a hot start. The acceleration of Musa, “the best scorer” of the whites, according to Laso, the stature of Tavares and the top hat of Campazzo were the weapons of Chus Mateo’s team. Laso’s men responded with the mobility of Moneke and the outside shooting of Raieste and Marcus Howard to hold out in the confrontation (12-12). Diop also emerged in front of the colossus Tavares. Campazzo multiplied on the perimeter and in his adventures to the rim. On the opposite side, Baskonia was firm with the ball (22-21).
Hezonja and Samanic challenged each other in one basket and in the other. A duel of gunmen in which the Madrid player was in charge. Baskonia grew from the offensive rebound. Hall took advantage of the superiority in centimeters against Garuba, once Tavares rested, and Moneke took over in production. The encounter moved over short distances. Forrest noted the absence of Tavares to enter the white lair. Madrid gave the impression of still playing with the handbrake: 42-45.
Rogkavopoulos and Forrest had a hot wrist. Baskonia maintained the fever in the offensive rebound and at the same time the security to not lose balls, a circumstance that prevented Madrid from being able to run on the counterattack (64-67).
Back to the beginning. Madrid turned to the protagonists of the origin, Campazzo, Musa and Tavares, to turn the duel at the start of the last quarter (74-69). Samanic left a poster dunk against two walls like Tavares and Garuba, a double five, and Forrest took over again. Abalde was the whites’ best lock and several good defenses by the locals gave them a comfortable command (84-75 after a 10-0 run). And suddenly, 0-13 in two and a half minutes with Rogkavopoulos and Moneke on and several balls recovered (84-88). A triple by Hezonja brought the whites closer, Baskonia missed the outside shot and missed three free throws at the moment of truth. Hezonja did not forgive with another distant bingo at the last second.
