Dzanan Musa accelerates Madrid against Valencia

Add and follow Madrid in the Euroleague, again launched by a whirlwind scorer named Dzanan Musa. The Bosnian forward emerged with 28 points and six rebounds to lead the Whites in their 73-80 victory at Valencia on matchday nine of the European competition. Mumbru’s men suffered from injury to their best piece, Chris Jones, and stayed on the sidelines in their attempt to come back from a scoreline in which they were trailing from the first basket.

Madrid left Valencia stranded at a start at full speed. A very distant triple from Musa and a penetration from the Bosnian opened the white festival at La Fonteta. From that 0-5 down, Chus Mateo’s team built a very effective first quarter. He commanded Madrid inside and out, far superior under the basket to a Valencia that only grabbed two rebounds in the first 10 minutes. Dubljevic was trying to get Tavares out of the cave, allied with Cornelie to form a very intimidating pair of rooks. The Madrid team played very easily in the paint. If Musa missed, Tavares hunted the ball without barely jumping and assisted Sergio Rodriguez to score another triple. El Chacho scored and had the game in his head. Madrid ran with the wind in favor (9-17, 11-22) and collected baskets of all colors. A block from Tavares turned into a counterattack from Musa, a player overflowing with talent. The 19-31 of the first stage was as resounding as the white superiority on the track.

Valencia began the second quarter very dry in attack (not one hit in three minutes) and nervous in defense (Harper’s technique on Hezonja), although they breathed because Madrid raised their foot on the accelerator. The match had evened out and the fever to fight for every ball from Pradilla and Arostegui, two Eurobasket champions debuting in the Euroleague, brought the locals to within eight points (31-39) before the arrival of the break.

Tavares was still in his assistant outfit. The Cape Verdean giant closed the night with as many basket passes (six) as rebounds, an unusual statistic for such a stalk. Valencia was looking for the outside shot and found it in two Dubjlevic goals that brought Valencia closer again (40-48). Musa responded to each arreon of the orange team with some filigree. The Bosnian forward kept his wrist warm, a headache for any home defender who got in front of him. Madrid answered with three-pointers from Musa and Llull to extend their lead to the maximum advantage (43-59). His battery of outside players moved the ball at many revolutions. And where Musa did not arrive, Causeur or Deck appeared.

Valencia was approaching sprints, kidney strokes, more heart than game in a game that Madrid had dominated from the start. Without the injured Jones, Van Rossom led the final comeback attempt. With the tightest defense, Mumbru’s team reached five points (63-78) with a 7-0 run, and four (68-72) with a minute and a half to go, and three (71-74) when 55 seconds remained… Valencia scratched centimeter by centimeter until the owner of the ball, Dzanan Musa, reappeared to give the last blow.

Meanwhile, at the Palau Blaugrana, Barcelona got back on track with a win against Partizan Belgrade led by Zeljko Obradovic (79-68). Laprovittola was once again the best Barca player with 13 points, six assists and three rebounds, compared to Satoransky’s 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Valencia Basket (19+12+15+27): Van Rossom (17), Puerto (2), Lopez-Arostegui (6), Webb III (2), Dubljevic (15) -five starters-, Harper (11), Claver (6), Prepelic (-), Pradilla (-), Radebaugh (3), Alexander (5) and Rivero (6).

Real Madrid (31+10+18+21): William-Goss (-), Musa (28) Deck (16), Cornelie (10), Tavares (4) -five starters-, Causeur (5), Abalde (- ), Hezonja (2), Sergio Rodriguez (3), Poirier (4), Ndiaye (-) and Llull (8).

Referees: Lottermorser (ALE), Foufis (GRE) and Rosi (ITA). They eliminated the visiting Poirier (m.34).

La Fonteta before 7,506 spectators.

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