Home EuroLeague Malaga send message in Madrid, Euroleague Top 16 round-up

Malaga send message in Madrid, Euroleague Top 16 round-up

A double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds from Luka Zoric propelled Unicaja Malaga to a massive 77-74 win at Real Madrid.

Trailing 40-32 at half-time, Malaga were not playing to their expected level and their Liga Endesa counterparts were executing their sets and punishing the visitors at will. Then a 13-0 run from Malaga to start the third set the tone for what was a completely different performance and led Unicaja to a 6-5 record in Group E and at the same time, denying Madrid qualification to the last eight for another week.

 

The Whites dropped to 9-2, level with Anadolu Efes for top spot in the group. They were led by Sergio Rodriguez who grabbed 17 points.

“It was a make-or-break game for us – just like all the games remaining. This win is very important,” Unicaja coach Jasmin Repesa said.

“We didn’t play well in the first half and I believe it was because we have faced Madrid three times this season and it was hard for us to get into the game. We were lucky to be trailing by just 8 points at halftime. Everything changed after the break; we had six very good minutes in which Madrid was scoreless. Their zone defense gave us a lot of problems, as we had done well in offense before that. We managed to get the win, which is very important.”

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Meanwhile in the same group, Panathinaikos stayed in the hunt for a Playoff place after they comfortably disposed of Alba Berlin 82-58 in Athens.

The 2011 winners are now 7-4 and control the fourth spot in the group while the already eliminated Germans drop to 1-10. Panathinaikos led from tip to buzzer and were rarely troubled. Jonas Maciulis led the victors with 16 points and he connected on all four of his three-point attempts as well.

No Alba Berlin player reached double figures, as Dashaun Wood hit nine points on three triples.

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CSKA Moscow are now one win away from the last eight after they beat Zalgiris 70-61 in the Russian capital.

Despite a promising campaign, the Lithuanian champions are all but eliminated from advancing to the quarter-finals as they drop to 4-7.

Sonny Weems led CSKA with 13 points.

“We played as a team and got big win today,” Weems said. “We didn’t let them go forward and did everything we wanted to do. In the first half we let them shoot threes. Then just played good defence and made a few key plays and won.”

Rimantas Kaukenas led Zalgiris with 16.

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Barcelona, who have already advanced to the last eight continued where they left off by thrashing already eliminated Besiktas 86-61.

Australian Nathan Jawai led the winners with 16 points while Chvher Ozer scored a Euroleague season-high 18 in vain for the Turkish side.

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