Coach Joan Penarroya of Baskonia spoke after the first-round EuroLeague match against Real Madrid.
Penarroya’s team couldn’t overcome the suspenseful ending and Real Madrid’s lead in the final minute. Markus Howard had a shot for the win, but missed it, allowing the Madrid team to secure the “break” in Vitoria.
“We controlled the game, especially in terms of rebounds and inside play. We had some issues in the first half with Real’s three-point shooting; they made 10 threes. We improved a bit in the second half.
When it was possible to break the game in the fourth quarter, our inexperience probably played a role in preventing that. We had five turnovers in the last four minutes and only scored 10 points in that period. The game could have gone either way, but in the end, we weren’t lucky,” said Penarroya.
In the next EuroLeague matchup, Baskonia will be visiting Alba Berlin in Germany. The German team previously lost to Bayern Munich, despite having a somewhat comfortable lead.
Therefore, in the second round, these two teams, both of whom were ultimately defeated despite their initial leads, will face each other. They will be seeking their chance for their first victory in the elite league.