Real Madrid overcame a spate of absences to defeat ASVEL 85-72 in Round 3 of the EuroLeague on Thursday. Despite missing Gabriele Procida, Alberto Abalde, Usman Garuba, and Theo Maledon, Los Blancos controlled the game from start to finish under coach Sergio Scariolo.
Andres Feliz set the tone early with three assists in the opening two minutes, while Real avoided foul trouble by attacking the rim effectively and forcing ASVEL to stay away from the paint. The home side finished the first quarter with 10 assists and only one turnover, demonstrating crisp ball movement.
ASVEL relied on three-point shooting to remain competitive, going 8-of-21 from downtown in the first half. Edwin Jackson made all three of his three-point attempts, keeping Villeurbanne within striking distance before Real’s defensive adjustments in the second half.
The defensive tweaks proved decisive, as ASVEL hit just 2-of-13 three-pointers after the break. Despite outrebounding Madrid 15-23 in the second half, including 11 offensive boards, ASVEL could not capitalize on second-chance opportunities. Real also turned the ball over less than half as often as the visitors, recording 24 assists to 12 turnovers.
Newcomers Chuma Okeke and Trey Lyles provided a major boost off the bench. Okeke posted 17 points on perfect shooting, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, and grabbed 5 rebounds for a PIR of 25. Lyles added 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal, complementing the team’s depth and efficiency.
Both Izan Almansa and Gunars Grinvalds made their EuroLeague debuts, showing Real’s ability to integrate new players seamlessly.
Real Madrid improves to 2-1 in the EuroLeague, while ASVEL drops to 1-2. Los Blancos will now host Partizan on Wednesday before traveling to face Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade on Friday, aiming to maintain their strong home form.
