Chima Moneke was named the Most Valuable Player of the Match in Baskona’s spirited 76-72 win over Spanish rivals Real Madrid in the Turkish Airline EuroLeague on Tuesday night at the Fernando Buesa Arena.
Moneke came off the bench to score 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists while Markus Howard had a team-high 15 points. Tadas Sedekerskis was one of the most impactful players for Baskonia on the night scoring eight points and adding eight rebounds and five assists.
Also read: AFCON qualifier: Benin miss chance to overtake Eagles, lose against Rwanda
The first quarter was closely contested, with Madrid holding a narrow two-point lead (18-16) after the first 10 minutes. This advantage remained intact until halftime when Baskonia edged ahead by a single point (36-35).
More Read
Real Madrid gained momentum in the third quarter, outscoring Baskonia 12-4 in the final 10 minutes to establish a four-point lead (52-48). However, the game remained up for grabs.
The final two minutes saw a thrilling back-and-forth exchange. Mario Hezonja’s three-pointer tied the score at 70. Markus Howard and Khalifa Diop delivered crucial shots for Baskonia, while Sergio Llull and Dzanan Musa missed, giving Baskonia a 74-70 lead.
In the closing seconds, Tavares narrowed the gap to two points (74-72) with a basket, but time was not on their side. Chima Moneke sealed the victory for Baskonia with two successful free throws after being fouled, securing a 76-72 win.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
