Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz delivered one of its biggest wins of the EuroLeague season on Friday night, beating Real Madrid 98-96 at Buesa Arena in a game that flipped late and ended with the home crowd on its feet.
It was Real Madrid’s first visit to Baskonia since the Copa del Rey final, but the visitors were unable to close it out after leading by seven points in the fourth quarter. Baskonia, shorthanded and without Markus Howard, Tadas Sedekerskis, Rodions Kurucs, Trent Forrest and Khalifa Diop, found enough firepower to erase the deficit and steal it at the end.
The opening quarter set the tone for a high-scoring night. Baskonia buried 8 of 9 shots from beyond the arc, matching a EuroLeague all-time record for threes in the first 10 minutes and setting a new club mark, yet Real Madrid still edged the period 27-25.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot then sparked a 13-0 run that pushed the hosts in front by double digits, but Mario Hezonja answered with 11 points in the final six minutes of the first half. That burst helped Real Madrid take a 53-48 lead into halftime after Baskonia went cold and missed all seven of its second-quarter three-point attempts.
The game looked to be slipping away when Facu Campazzo hit from deep to put Real Madrid up 95-88 with just over two minutes left. Baskonia refused to fold, though, and Kobi Simmons changed everything with a clutch sequence that swung the result.
Simmons buried a three-pointer, then hit again after a Madrid miss to pull Baskonia within one. After Campazzo split free throws, Luwawu-Cabarrot tied it at 96-96 with a tough jumper before Simmons was fouled with 1.9 seconds left and calmly made both free throws for the lead. Sergio Llull missed at the buzzer.
Simmons finished with a career-high 21 points, all in a finish that sent Buesa Arena into chaos. Mamadi Diakite also scored 21 and went 5-of-5 from three-point range after struggling from deep all season, while Luwawu-Cabarrot matched his season high with 26 points.
Baskonia improved to a much-needed home statement and now hosts Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv on April 7 before visiting Virtus Bologna on April 10. Real Madrid, meanwhile, heads to Olympiacos Piraeus on April 7 and then travels to Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul on April 9 for two more massive road tests.
