Real Madrid gain the upper hand in league final series

Real Madrid beat UCAM Murcia in the first game of the Liga Endesa final playoff series and take the lead in their quest to claim the title. Chus Mateo's side made it 1-0 thanks to a sensational third quarter, in which they broke the game wide open with a 27-15 run. Scoring 16 points and picking up 20 PIR, Musa was our team's best player. The second game of the series will be played on Monday, again at the WiZink Center (8:30pm CEST).

The first quarter was very even. Whenever Real Madrid took the lead, UCAM Murcia found a way to counter. Our team was ahead for the first four minutes, but our opponents took a 6-7 lead with six minutes to go. Four consecutive points from Chus Mateo's team restored the lead (10-7 with 5:14 to go) and another basket by Campazzo, who already had 6 points, forced the visiting coach to call a time-out at 16-10 with 2:05 to go. A basket by Abalde and a three-pointer by Sant-Roos made it 18-13. Leaving us five points up at the end of the first quarter.

The start of the second quarter was much worse, in which six consecutive UCAM Murcia points put the visiting team ahead again (18-19 with 8:35 to go) and forced Chus Mateo to call a time-out. The Murcia team continued to pick up points, and with another three-pointer from Sant-Roos managed their biggest lead of the game (22-27 with 5:50 to go). The lack of success from long range was weighing Real Madrid down (0-11), but Sergio Rodríguez, with our team's first three-pointer, tightened the score (31-33 at 2:05), a 2+1 by Yabusele put us back in front (34-33) and a three-pointer by the Frenchman, who scored 6 consecutive points, extended the lead before the break (37-33).

Real Madrid get right back into the game
The third quarter started with a lot of pace and an exchange of baskets. Two consecutive baskets by Tavares left the score at 46-39 and forced Sito Alonso to call a time-out with 7:15 remaining. A three-pointer from Hezonja gave our team the biggest lead of the game (49-41), which was extended with four more points from the Croatian and another four in a row from Musa (60-43). Another basket by the Bosnian extended the lead to 18 points, although UCAM Murcia got closer, the quarter ended 64-48. Chus Mateo's team had a spectacular fourth quarter, which put the game to bed at 27-15.

UCAM Murcia reduced the gap, which with two consecutive three-pointers left our team's lead at ten points (69-59 with 7:04 to go) and at nine with 6:22 to go with the free throw converted by Morin. Real Madrid's reaction was immediate with Sergio Rodríguez's three-pointer and Poirier's basket (74-60). UCAM Murcia did not want to give up and went on a 0-5 run, which was quickly wiped out by a 5-0 run from our team (79-65). From there until the end, an exchange of baskets with the game already decided, ending 81-73. Real Madrid win the first game and make it 1-0 in the playoff series for the league title.
REAL MADRID-UCAM MURCIA STATISTICS