Real Madrid already knows how to win away from home. After six away defeats and more than a month spent in the season, they beat UCAM Murcia decisively to continue climbing in the ACB League. He also achieved it in complicated circumstances, both due to the two midweek defeats against Olympiacos and Maccabi, and due to the plague of casualties that are beginning to accumulate. Against UCAM he appeared without Ibaka, without Garuba, without Andrés Feliz and, above all, without Dzanan Musa, who was already out against Maccabi due to an ankle injury that could keep him off the field for a period of six weeks.
However, Madrid came out angry. Two baskets from Tavares and a 2+1 from Ndiaye gave the first advantage to the whites, much more effective in the paint at the start, also in defense. A triple from Hakanson tried to stop the local bleeding, but Sergio Llull appeared to increase the lead with seven consecutive points.
With Dylan Ennis missing, it was Birgander’s turn to support his team and prevent the visiting team’s difference from going beyond ten points. The game entered a phase of shooting errors that affected both teams and lasted until the end of the first act. Hugo González, appearing out of nowhere, put the finishing touch with an offensive rebound and a good basket against the Murcian Torres.
Chus Mateo started the second quarter by bringing together three homegrown players on the court: Hugo González, Ndiaye and Sidi Gueye. Forced by casualties, and seeing that the UCAM level was not ideal, it was necessary to distribute efforts. With the kids on the court, Madrid reached its maximum difference (+16), which ended Sito Alonso’s patience. The coach called for a providential time-out, because his anger had an immediate effect. Two consecutive triples by Artur Kurucs and Ennis woke up the Murcians and prevented the game from being ended early.
Kurucs, with a new triple, reduced the local deficit to just seven points and emboldened his teammates. The game accelerated, and again the errors in both baskets returned. It was Hezonja and Tavares who ended the whites’ scoring crisis, while Ennis, with a new triple, and the other Kurucs, (Rodion), allowed Murcia to end up winning that second quarter to leave the difference at half-time at nine points.
Carlos Alcaraz, about to travel to Turin for the Masters Cup, was having fun in the stands with a divided heart when Hezonja took out the precision rifle to break the duel. The Croatian was all inspiration from the line of three (5 of 6, at that time) to destroy UCAM’s hopes. Hezonja, accompanied by an omnipresent Tavares, was responsible for the whites’ lead reaching twenty points for the first time.
Carlos Alcaraz, watching the game with a group of friends
It was hard to believe that UCAM could overcome that slope, and it did. Sito Alonso’s men paid for their poor, very poor shooting percentages and the overwhelming white dominance on the rebound and let themselves go in a bad way.
With everything decided, there were more minutes, well spent, for Ndiaye or Gueye. Players who, if the absences continue, will have to be important in the next games. The German Declan Duru and the Burkinabé Gildas Giménez also debuted, two new gems who are barely 17 years old.
#Real #Madrid #learns #win #home
