Madrid fall to defeat against Asvel

Real Madrid lost on their trip to Lyon on EuroLeague Round 13. After coming from 11 points down in the third quarter, our boys headed into the last period in the lead, only for Asvel to level once more and decide the game in the final moments. Following a controversial decision that saw the referee rule out a Campazzo basket with two seconds left, Lee hit his shot in the conclusive play to hand the hosts the win. Hezonja top scored for our team (19 points).
The first quarter got underway at an electric pace, marked by vigorous offensive rhythm and with both teams posting points for fun. Madrid were relying on the impeccable Ndiaye from three, who scored three without a miss, coupled with Tavares' dominance in the paint (7 points and 3 rebounds) to neutralize the hosts' early attempts led by Lee, Maledon and Lauvergne. The odd madridista turnover and the French outfit's effectiveness from two points (9/11) broke the even nature of the opening quarter (30-26, min.10).
Coming from behind
Without Ibaka and having Tavares on two fouls, the team was forced to play most of the first half with a shorter five than usual. The result was added aggression, and the Argentine duo of Campazzo and Deck was causing problems, but issues continued in terms of defensive balance. Failure to finish off decent plays gave Asvel added running power and comfortable baskets near the hoop. At 44-40 with 17 minutes on the clock, we turned to the triple to turn the scores around. One found its target, but the hosts increased their lead to 51-43 at the break.
Madrid imposed a drastic change on the dynamics of the game as they emerged from the dressing room with a truly sensational third quarter. They stepped it up at the back and Asvel's point-scoring dried up immediately. Llull's arrival also proved crucial. His leadership breathed new life into the team, and his six points helped too. Campazzo's passing was perfect (7 assists in the period for a PIR of 15), finding Deck and Hezonja with ease. Chus Mateo's boys enjoyed an 8-23 run to take them into the last quarter at 59-66.

Controversial finish 
A Feliz triple moved Madrid to a 10-point advantage with 32 minutes played (59-69). Maledon then scored on three successive attacks to move the game closer once more. Chus Mateo's team hit back with a series of impressive Hezonja moments, but Asvel managed to pull the game level at 78 with 9 seconds left on the clock. Then, the key moment - Chus Mateo called time out and spoke to Campazzo. The point guard got the better of Roberson and hit a lay-up that was then intercepted from behind by the defender. The basket was given, with the ball adjudged to have touched the backboard first, but the referees went to the instant replay and ultimately ruled the block legal, overturning their initial decision. The final possession, of 1.8 seconds, went to Asvel and Paris Lee hit his shot on the buzzer (80-78, min.40).