Real Madrid defeats Tenerife 82-76 in the sixth round of the Liga Endesa, maintaining their undefeated streak in the new season on both fronts.
From the beginning, the ‘Royal Club’ looked like a significantly stronger rival, best seen by their double-digit lead at the end of the first quarter (27-14). Fueled by solid gameplay, the team from the Spanish capital maintained their lead up to halftime, which they reached with a 13-point advantage (47-34).
A series of 11 consecutive points at the start of the third quarter allowed Tenerife to narrow the score, even momentarily taking the lead. However, Chus Mateo’s men finished the quarter with eight straight points, putting themselves in a favorable position (65-61). The home team didn’t have enough strength for another comeback, resulting in another victory for the Madrid team.
Jaime Fernandez was the top scorer for Tenerife with 18 points, while Walter Tavares stood out for Real Madrid with 14.
Real Madrid remains the leader in the Endesa League with a 6-0 record, while Tenerife is currently in 13th place with a 2-4 record.
In the next round, Madrid will host Palencia, while Tenerife will face Bilbao.
Barcelona defeats Bilbao 91-82, continuing their pursuit of the top spot in the Liga Endesa standings.
The first quarter was fairly evenly matched, but the Catalans were just good enough to go into the first break with a slim lead (21-19). The crucial advantage for Roger Grimau’s team came at the beginning of the second quarter when a 14-0 run gave them a 16-point lead (35-19). Barcelona expertly maintained their lead going into halftime, making it clear that they would clinch their fifth victory of the season.
The third quarter saw two small scoring runs on both sides, but it wasn’t enough to seriously threaten Barcelona’s double-digit lead. When the lead reached 20 points in the middle of the fourth quarter, Grimau’s players eased off the gas, allowing the visitors to reduce the deficit to 91-82.
Willy Hernangomez was Barcelona’s top scorer with 20 points, while Adam Smith stood out for Bilbao with 20 points as well.