Baskonia stuns Real Madrid at Liga Endesa

The last game of Round 15 in the Spanish Liga Endesa was arguably the most important one yet. Previous league leader, Real Madrid was stunned by the up and coming Baskonian club 77-62. While this was just their third loss of the season (11-3), Real Madrid slides down to second place in the league standings. Their “El Clasico” rivals, FC Barcelona (11-3) have moved to take the top spot. Both teams are one game ahead of third and fourth placers Valencia Basket and Iberostar Tenerife, which share 10-4 records. The win by Baskonia was critical as it improved their record to 9-5, helping them climb up another rung in the ladder and they have secured sixth place in the standings.

Credit goes to Baskonia’s defense, which forced Real Madrid to commit turnovers, 19 in total, which swung the tide of the game. Also, Real Madrid uncharacteristically had less assists than their opponents in this one. The team combined for just nine, compared to 14 handed out by Baskonia. Real Madrid’s star point guard, Sergio Llull had an off night and was limited to eight points. Even Gustavo Ayon was shutdown and rendered unable to control the action in the paint. He finished with two points and six rebounds.

Shane Larkin and Adam Hanga led the charge for Baskonia with 16 points apiece.

This is a wake-up call for Real Madrid, reminding them that their fast-paced offense cannot be the answer to everything. Protecting the ball is just as important especially if they want to generate as many possessions as they are accustomed to having. Still, they are a one of the strongest teams in Spain and in Europe. They have had their share of stumbles in international competition, but can regroup and easily pose a serious threat to any team they face on the hardwood.