Almost 7,000 Real Madrid season ticket holders who attended the first EuroLeague quarterfinal match against Hapoel observed a minute of silence for Moncho Monsalve. The game against the Israeli team was played under special security measures around the court, and on the court, Scariolo’s team secured the first win of the series despite the scare in the final minutes, when Itoudis’ group threatened an unlikely comeback. Madrid won despite Tavares’ injury, who was hurt in the first minutes in a knee and did not return to play for the rest of the match. Campazzo emerged with 21 points (six three-pointers) to subdue Hapoel, also weakened by Bryant’s injury and another victim of the white muscle in their arena.
The match took off with an unrelenting exchange of blows. Bryant made Oturu fly, and Hezonja found Tavares in the interior fight; from outside, Micic threatened to rebel after a season without the expected shine, and Campazzo made it clear that he is always there, crowned as a shooter besides his captaincy as playmaker. That intensity ended with Tavares in the locker room before three minutes because the giant hurt his left knee falling on a rebound. Bryant, also shackled by Abalde, was hurting his ankle. Madrid ran and took the first lead thanks to Facu’s hot hand (four three-pointers) and Okeke’s intensity. Hapoel exploited Oturu’s vein under the basket in Tavares’ absence, too little ammunition against a white team that stretched further when it raised the energy with the bench players: Maledon, Feliz, Lyles… (27-18).
Even in the injury report. Out Tavares and out Bryant, also heading to the locker room at the end of the first quarter. Blakeney inherited the leadership and showed some flashes from the perimeter. That’s how Hapoel survived, also with Chris Jones, against a high-caliber white defense. Scariolo had already warned by demanding an “outstanding” off-ball effort, and his guys obeyed the boss. Madrid kept the decibels high with some players or others. Everyone contributed to the basket in a very team-oriented task, so focused that the turnover count was zero. The Israeli team rescued Bryant from the infirmary, but the shooting guard limped, a mortal sinner in a game at a thousand miles per hour. Llull matched up with Micic in a face-to-face between legends before the whites reached halftime with much work done: 48-33.
Campazzo picked up where he left off, with his fifth three-pointer of the night, and Okeke kept growing, especially in offensive rebounds, to cover Tavares’ void. Chris Jones raised his voice in Hapoel, a team led by Itoudis orphaned of a great star like Bryant. Oturu also rebelled in one of his best performances. Scariolo tightened the screws from the sideline because he sensed some relaxation after a very plugged-in first part of the game. No more was needed. The white team clenched its jaw again, and the Campazzo-Feliz duo gave them the control of the game needed to finish the job. In open court, Hezonja enjoyed showing off his array of technical skills and physical power. Any attempt by Hapoel to get back into the game was immediately smothered (70-55 before the last round).
Time flew against Hapoel, and the rush condemned Itoudis’ troops when attacking the basket and trying to recover the ball. With playmakers like Maledon and Lyles, and warriors like Garuba, Madrid had the victory more than tied up when in the last two minutes they accumulated several turnovers, Hapoel hit three three-pointers riding a great Blakeney, and the whites had to sweat for the first point of the series before repeating the scenario this Friday.
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EuroLeague quarterfinal matchups and results.
