Madrid suffers but sentences Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria, aware of what was at stake after being beaten up in Madrid, started a bit nervous with many errors in the first shots and Madrid took advantage of it to start commanding (3-8). Although Lakovic’s team got into tune with two consecutive triples from Brussino to recover from that bad start.

With Tavares in the area, Madrid prevented any penetration of the white ring, so the ‘Granca’ option was to shoot from long distance. A tactic that took them from behind against the white success with Musa as the protagonist (10-16).

But Lakovic’s men were not intimidated and with two more triples from Benite and Balcerowski they were still close to Madrid, with a successful Musa that allowed Chus Mateo’s men to dominate the first set (18-21).

Gran Canaria presses in defense

The Canarian squad put one more march in defense, with actions to the limit, and with the success of Slaughter, with two consecutive triples, Madrid suffered. The game was hampered by many fouls and without rhythm, benefiting the locals. With Tavares on the bench, Lakovic’s men took advantage of it to go five (29-24) forcing Mateo to stop the game.

The white reaction was immediate after that minute from the white coach. With Hezonja and Llull as protagonists in attack, they linked a partial of 1-9 that returned control to them in a ‘plis-plash’ (29-33).

Slaughter was still sweet in attack (8 points) and the duel tightened in the last minutes before the break, which Mario Hezonja broke at his last breath thanks to a ‘coast to coast’ move to leave Madrid ahead (37-39).

nice white boot

Madrid started like a shot after the break, with partial 0-7 (37-46) that forced Lakovic to stop the game. After that white ‘slap’, Gran Canaria improved in defense and resorted to triples from Shurna and Slaughter and a two plus one from Balcerowski that restored equality with a Canarian team that once again fought to the limit (52-52).

Mateo put his veterans on the track, with Llull and Sergio Rodríguez in command, and the white reaction was immediate with Tavares and a Musa inspired by the triple to recover the maximum (56-64).

The local effort did not give them any returns at the end of the third period that ended with a triple by Sergio Rodríguez to further demoralize Lakovic’s men who could not stop the white success (56-67).

Madrid escapes

Madrid grabbed the game by the neck and with three consecutive actions in the triple of ‘Chacho’ Rodríguez, in an exceptional moment, left the duel in the franchise for the whites (61-77).

Although two triples from Nikolic and an intentional one against Musa allowed Gran Canaria to get back into the game and dream of a comeback (73-77). With a 12-0 run for the Canaries with dominance on the rebound (73-77), Mateo had to stop the game.

Lakovic’s men were thrown and after a triple by Slaughter, they were only one point away (76-77) and Saved, again from the triple, tied the game before the madness of the Gran Canaria Arena (79-79).

Madrid did not lose their composure, and with baskets from Llull and Goss the whites dominated with four (81-85) 59 seconds from the end and there was no surprise despite the commendable attempt from the Canary Islands (81-89).