Into the Copa del Rey semifinals with a masterclass

Real Madrid defeated Unicaja de Málaga in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey at the Roig Arena and will play their thirteenth consecutive semifinal this Saturday (6:00 pm CEST) against Valencia Basket. Scariolo’s side debuted in the tournament with an undeniable victory, one that will go down in the history of the competition. They led by as much as 37 points and achieved an impressive 135 performance index rating. It was an outstanding team performance, with Lyles (23 PIR) and Maledon (21 PIR) leading six players with double-digit ratings. Llull became the player with the most minutes played in the tournament (982) and tied Juan Carlos Navarro as the second player with the most Copa games played (44).

The game began at the pace set by Madrid, with an aggressive defense that featured constant switches and minimal concessions to Unicaja, limiting their production to Webb III. They complemented this with a very secure and unselfish offense, always seeking the best option. One of those options was Tavares, who dominated the paint with 7 points. But it wasn’t just him; the team delivered an offensive masterclass with 8 players scoring out of the 10 rotated by Scariolo. Hezonja and Lyles added 5 points each, and Maledon 4. A 14-0 run over three minutes capped off a great first quarter (28-12).

Madrid, unstoppable
They extended their dominance in the second quarter, maintaining an extremely high level on both ends of the court, especially with their attitude and focus. Unicaja struggled to disrupt Scariolo’s team’s consistency. Their offensive rebounding, which had been their main source of points, disappeared thanks to the great work of Garuba, Len, Deck, and company. With everyone contributing both defensively and offensively (7 players scored in this quarter), our team reached a 23-point lead (50-27, min.19).

Madrid wanted no surprises and had clearly learned their lesson, coming out in the second half determined to close the game. They elevated their defense even further, which was already impressive all night. Unicaja went five minutes without scoring a field goal. On the other hand, the madridistas enjoyed themselves on offense. Deck and Llull shone in a third quarter where their superiority was reflected in the 71-35 scoreline in the 28th minute.

Madrid seals a memorable victory
The semifinal spot was secured, but Madrid showed they had come to the Copa to win it all and with great determination. They maintained their momentum and spared no effort. With joy, Lyles and Abalde extended their lead to 37 points on several occasions. Unicaja managed to slightly improve the scoreline, but Madrid reached 100 points and finished with a 30-point margin, just two shy of their tournament record. It was a masterclass that ended with 10 players scoring between 7 and 16 points, and the madridista fans present at the Roig Arena chanting: “This is how Madrid wins” (100-70, min.40).

 

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.