Spectacular comeback and into the Copa final

Real Madrid will be in the Copa del Rey final once again, marking their 12th appearance in the last 13 editions, after a spectacular semifinal victory against Valencia Basket at the Roig Arena. Scariolo's team pulled off another of their epic comebacks. After overcoming an 18-point deficit from the first quarter and 11 points down with five minutes left, they clinched the win in an incredible final 20 seconds with an 8-0 run and two heroic three-pointers by Hezonja. The forward scored 25 points and made 7 three-pointers. Llull equaled Felipe Reyes as the player with the most wins in the tournament (36). The opponent for the title will be decided in the Baskonia-Barça game (Sunday, 7:00 pm CEST, Dazn).

The home team started the semifinal better, imposing their game speed and impressive accuracy from the 6.75-meter line. Their 7 three-pointers from 13 attempts and a hasty Madrid attack defined a first quarter dominated by Valencia Basket. Deck, with 7 points, and Garuba, with 4 rebounds, were the standout performers for Scariolo's team (34-16, min.10).

Madrid strikes back
They had to rely on patience and not fall into despair. Valencia Basket's extremely high shooting efficiency was unsustainable. And so it proved. But the credit went to our team's increased defensive aggression, which forced the Taronjas into static offenses and made it difficult for them to score. Campazzo (2) and Hezonja connected on three consecutive three-pointers to start the second quarter.

With more confidence on the offensive end, Scariolo's team gained momentum in the game and achieved a 16-2 run in their favor, led by the Argentine guard (11 points) and a colossal Garuba on rebounds (8 by halftime). Madrid closed the gap to 4 points and changed the dangerous dynamic from the start. They continued their push, with Maledon and Tavares taking the lead on offense. They could have completed the comeback towards the end of the first half, but Reuvers and Taylor allowed the home team to stay ahead at halftime.

Our team was rewarded for their effort after the break. Llull and Hezonja completed the 18-point comeback with a 58-60 lead in the 23rd minute; Deck, with a 2+1 play, gave them a 3-point advantage. The rest of the third quarter was an intense back-and-forth of baskets between both teams, led by Feliz and Maledon for Madrid and Badio and De Larrea for Valencia Basket (79-77, min.30).

Madrid works a miracle
Montero pushed Scariolo's team to the brink, but the more challenging the circumstances, the more this team rises to the occasion, showcasing their unique spirit. Valencia Basket surged to an 11-point lead with five minutes left. But once again, Campazzo and Hezonja (four three-pointers in the last three and a half minutes) stepped up. Even when it seemed impossible, they never stopped believing. A three-pointer by Montero with 20 seconds left made it 106-101. Hezonja wasn't finished. He responded with a three-pointer and, on the next play, forced a turnover that led to another three-pointer by the forward with 8.3 seconds left, making it 106-107. Deck played excellent defense to recover the ball, and Campazzo sealed the heroic passage to the final with a free throw (106-108, min.40).

Statistics of Valencia Basket-Real Madrid

 

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