Regular Season Game 10 - January 14, 2009 CET: 19:30 Local time: 19:30 - PALACIO VISTALEGRE

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
5-4 Regular Season 4-5
5-4 Overall 4-5

Referees

Crew Chief
LAMONICA, LUIGI, Italy
Referee
CICORIA, GIANPAOLO, Italy
Umpire
CHAMBON, DAVID, France

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
73.3 Points 71.6
31.6 Rebounds 25.9
11.6 O. Rebounds 7.2
20.0 D. Rebounds 18.7
12.2 Assists 10.1
7.9 Steals 9.8
1.7 Blocks 2.8
13.1 Turnovers 14.2
52.5 % 2PT 56.3 %
32.6 % 3PT 33.3 %
73.0 % FT 73.8 %
77.3 Index 74.7

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
12.7 / Reyes Points 12.8 / SMITH, CHARLES
6.4 / Reyes Rebounds 6.4 / Gonlum
1.7 / Hosley OR 2.1 / Gonlum
4.8 / Reyes DR 4.3 / Gonlum
2.6 / Lopez Assists 2.6 / Thornton
1.1 / Hosley Steals 2.3 / SMITH, CHARLES
0.6 / Hosley Blocks 0.9 / Gonlum
2.0 / Mumbru Turnovers 3.0 / VUJANIC, MILOS
76.5 % / Llull 2PT 100.0 % / Guler
66.7 % / SANCHEZ, PEPE 3PT 50.0 % / Gonlum
100.0 % / HAMILTON, VENSON FT 100.0 % / Guler
15.4 / Reyes Index 14.2 / Thornton

THE TAKE

A high-stakes battle in Group D takes place in the Spanish capital on Wednesday, where Real Madrid welcomes Efes Pilsen. Real Madrid has already qualified for the Top 16 and will finish second if it beats Efes. Madrid could even go down to fourth place with a loss, depending on other scores. Meanwhile, Efes could theoretically finish second with a win and other results going its way, or drop out of the Top 16 into fifth with a loss, with chances also to be third and fourth depending on other scores. Efes, however, will advance no matter what if it beats Madrid at Palacio Vistalegre. It will be a special game for Efes forward Charles Smith, who is back in Madrid to face his former team. Smith helped Real Madrid to win the ULEB Cup and the Spanish League in the 2006-07 season. He is ready for a big matchup against former teammate Alex Mumbru. Efes is deep at both wing spots, with well-rounded players such as Bootsy Thornton, Cenk Akyol and Preston Shumpert. Thornton is set to test his scoring skills against Louis Bullock. Meanwhile, Akyol and Shumpert will play a key role against Marko Tomas and Quinton Hosley, who already shined against Efes in Istanbul. Madrid will be most concerned with stopping Milos Vujanic, who shares the point guard duties in Efes with creative playmaker Erden Arslan. Sergio Llull will see playing time against Vujanic, while Raul Lopez and Pepe Sanchez are ready for a big battle against him and Arslan. At the same time, Efes needs to stop Felipe Reyes around the baskets to win in Madrid. Reyes leads a powerful Madrid froncourt. Recently-signed center Tomas Van den Spiegel offers intensity, defense and pick-and-roll skills, while Jeremiah Massey is a force at power forward. Reyes will test his rebounding skills against Kerem Gonlum, Michalis Kakiouzis will try to use his smarts and experience against the entire Madrid frontcourt while Kaya Peker and Predrag Drobnjak are ready to battle against Massey and Van den Spiegel. Madrid needs to be tough in defense and to stop Efes's wing players to add an important win. Meanwhile, Efes must get its frontcourt involved and slow down the game tempo. This game has all the makings of a 40-minute thriller with two talented teams looking for an important win that could pave the way for greater things down the road.

GAME NOTES

Real Madrid

  • Real Madrid head coach Joan Plaza has made use of his team’s depth by starting 13 different players in games this season. In the club’s last two games, Madrid’s reserves have outscored the starters 50-93.
  • Big man Jeremiah Massey led his former team, Aris Thessaloniki, to two wins over Efes Pilsen last season. He averaged 16 points on 57.1% two-point shooting, 11 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in those games. He recorded 17 points and 7 rebounds for Madrid against Efes in a Week 5 win this season.
  • Before joining Madrid, small forward Quinton Hosley dominated the Turkish League last season as a member of Pinar Karsiyaka. Hosley led the Turkish League in index ranking and rebounds and was second in the league in scoring. Hosley scored a season-high 24 points against Efes in Week 5.


Efes Pilsen

  • Small forward Charles Smith will make his return to Madrid this week after spending the past two seasons in the Spanish capital, helping Real win the Spanish League and the ULEB Cup titles in 2007. Smith faced Madrid twice in the 2004-05 season when he was with Scavolini Pesaro and averaged 22 points, 3 assists and 1.5 blocks in those games. He had 22 points and 5 steals against Madrid in a Week 5 loss this season.
  • Forward Michailis Kakiouzis needs only 4 more defensive rebounds to reach 500 for his career – a feat only seven players to date have accomplished.
  • Guard Bootsy Thornton scored a season-high 19 points last week against CSKA. He also drilled 3 three-pointers, giving him 100 for his Euroleague Basketball career. Thornton has shot 94.4% from the line over his last six games.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

PLAZA, JOAN
Real Madrid
"They have a lot at stake in this game and we have to win in order to finish second in the group, so it will be a very intense basketball game in which we will try to repeat the performance we had in Turkey. There, we were efficient in offense but I also think we defended well. We will have to pay special attention to their backcourt players and men like Bootsy, Smith or Vujanic, a trio that really hurt us in the first game. They have experienced players that know us pretty well, as many of them have played in the Spanish League and they are a solid team which we have to respect."
ATAMAN, ERGIN
Efes Pilsen
"It's going to be a very important game for us. Unfortunately we lost Real Madrid at home, which was not in our plans. That’s one of the reasons why this last game is as important as ever. We will try to use our weapons as well as we can and will be digging in to win the game. Of course, they will try to win the game as much as we desire for their position in the group. But it doesn’t mean a lot for us if we finish second or third. The only thing we desire is to move to Top 16, that’s all."

Players

MASSEY, JEREMIAH
Real Madrid
"I think that the game against Efes will be really tough. We are in a good position but we have to secure second place in the group, but they also must win this game and they will be biting on the court. I hope we can see a packed Vistalegre because, apart from their support, people will be able to see a good basketball game. In Turkey we won easier than everyone would have expected but this game will be different. Starting 2009, Efes is a much better team, they have progressed in their game and it is no secret that they have great players. We are already in the Top 16 and there, despite having to wait for the draw, we will meet strong teams. Anyway, we will face those Top 16 games just like any other game which is with the win in mind."
GONLUM, KEREM
Efes Pilsen
"We are a little bit too far away from our target, which we focused at the beginning of the season at the moment. As a matter of fact, this is our last chance to make our step forward to Top 16. We knew that it will be the worst record of Efes Pilsen in our Euroleague history if we can’t make it through to the Top 16. For that reason we all will be trying to stop it from happening in Madrid. We will try our best to beat them. I hope we play our best game of the season to break our bad luck."
Jeremiah Massey - Real MadridReal Madrid clinched second place in regular season Group D by downing Efes Pilsen 80-69 in the Spanish capital on Wednesday night. Madrid finished Group D with a 6-4 record, right behind CSKA Moscow. Meanwhile, Efes Pilsen was fifth at 4-6 and therefore out of the Top 16, as Armani Jeans Milano and Partizan registered respective road wins against Panionios On Telecoms and CSKA to finish third and fourth at 5-5. Felipe Reyes led the winners with 16 points. Jeremiah Massey posted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, Alex Mumbru had 12 points while Quinton Hosley added 11 for Madrid. Bootsy Thornton had 15 points for Efes while Kerem Gonlum added 13 for the guests, that led 26-27 midway through the second quarter. Massey and an outstanding Mumbru allowed Madrid to get a 35-27 margin at halftime. Louis Bullock and Mumbru shined in the third quarter to break the game open, 56-39. Ender Arslan struck three times from downtown to get Efes within 69-60 but the guests could not complete their comeback.

Coach Joan Plaza shocked everyone by placing a recovered Axel Hervelle in the starting lineup. Madrid went scoreless in the opening 2 minutes, as a tip-in by Kerem Gonlum gave Efes a 0-2 lead. Reyes shined with a backdoor layup that Kaya Peker erased with a floating basket. Madrid could not even find open shots now, while Thornton sank a corner triple for a 2-7 Efes lead. Bullock made free throws while a fast break basket by Hosley brought Madrid within 6-7. Smith buried one from downtown, as Efes kept trying to get its wing players involved. Thornton made foul shots that Reyes erased with a layup for a 9-12 score. Efes had started to miss open shots while Hosley shined with a layup in transition. Peker had a big block on Sanchez but a three-pointer by Hosley gave Madrid its first lead, 14-12. Peker took over with a tip-in that Reyes erased with another easy basket. Free throws by Milos Vujanic tied the game, 16-16, at the end of the first quarter.

Bootsy Thornton - Efes PilsenTomas Van den Spiegel hit a jump hook right at the start of the second period, as Madrid improved with its second unit on court now. Raul Lopez fed Massey for a power layup but a driving basket by Vujanic kept Efes within 20-18. Michalis Kakiouzis had its trademark basket in the low post, as Van den Spiegel picked up his third foul. Massey scored down low and then matched Charles Smith's jumper with a tip-in, good for a 24-22 Madrid edge. Gonlum took over with a put-back layup but Efes kept double-teaming Reyes and Massey kept taking advantage of that with an alleyoop layup. Thornton fed Gonlum for a three-point play but Massey scored again to put Madrid back ahead, 28-27. Mumbru nailed a seven-meter bomb and even when Efes called timeout, it did not manage to fix its offense. Meanwhile, Mumbru followed a put-back basket with a fast break layup to give Madrid a 35-27 halftime margin.

Reyes and Gonlum traded layups immediately after the break, as Efes tried to attack the basket without much success and tried to change the game momentum with Mario Kasun on court. Hosley shined with a power layup to make Madrid restore a double-digit lead, 39-29. Vujanic made free throws but Efes entered the foul bonus midway through the third quarter. Massey took over with another layup in transition while Hosley provided a highlight with a wild alleyoop dunk. Efes called timeout at 43-31 but Madrid kept dominating the boards and finding easy fast break points. Van den Spiegel dunked it while Bullock added an acrobatic layup. Kasun tried to change things with a three-point play and Thornton made free throws to give Efes some hope, 48-37. Mumbru nailed a triple and even Kasun scored again, Bullock followed free throws with a bomb from downtown for a 56-39 Madrid margin. Kasun and Thornton got Efes within 58-43 after 30 minutes.

Efes needed a quick comeback to get back in the game but Marko Tomas scored around the basket to make it a 17-point game, 60-43. Cliff Hammonds stepped up with free throws but Hervelle had a big block and quickly scored in the other end for a 62-45 Madrid margin. Predrag Drobnjak had a layup in transition but Efes only managed to trade baskets now. Reyes sank an off-balance jumper that Kasun matched in the other end. Gonlum shined with a floating layup to make Madrid call timeout at 64-51. Reyes showed his power with a wild put-back layup - and the free throw that came with it. Ender Arslan tried to change things with consecutive bombs from downtown for a 67-57 Efes deficit with 4 minutes remaining. Reyes stayed unstoppable, however, but Arslan buried another triple for a 69-60 score. Lopez answered from downtown and even when Efes kept trying, Madrid had already sealed the outcome and its fans could celebrate that their team is in good shape for the upcoming Top 16.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Euroleague.net
Referees: LAMONICA, LUIGI (ITA), CICORIA, GIANPAOLO (ITA), CHAMBON, DAVID (FRA)
Attendance: 6800
By Quarter1234
Real Madrid16192322
Efes Pilsen16111626
End of Quarter1234
Real Madrid16355880
Efes Pilsen16274369
Head coach: PLAZA, JOAN
Real Madrid
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
6 SANCHEZ, PEPE 14:58   0/3       2 2 2 2 1   1   1 2
9 REYES, FELIPE 25:31 16 7/11   2/3 3   3   1 1     4 5 15
12 VAN DEN SPIEGEL, TOMAS 6:13 4 2/3     2 1 3 1   2 1   5   1
14 HOSLEY, QUINTON 14:57 11 4/6 1/2     4 4 2   2 1   3 1 11
15 MUMBRU, ALEX 22:00 12 3/4 2/4 0/2 2 3 5 2         2 2 14
17 HERVELLE, AXEL 18:51 2 1/1 0/3   1 1 2     1 1       1
21 MASSEY, JEREMIAH 29:25 15 7/13 0/1 1/3 4 7 11 2   1 1     2 21
22 BULLOCK, LOUIS 19:09 9 1/1 1/3 4/4       3 1       5 4 10
23 LLULL, SERGIO 18:11 4 1/1 0/4 2/2       4   3 1   1 2 3
24 LOPEZ, RAUL 19:15 3 0/1 1/2     1 1 5 1       1 1 8
33 TOMAS, MARKO 11:30 4 2/4 0/1   1 4 5 1   1     2   4
43 HAMILTON, VENSON DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Team           1   1     1          
Totals 200:00 80 28/48 5/20 9/14 14 23 37 22 5 13 5 1 23 18 90
58.3% 25% 64.3%
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Head coach: ATAMAN, ERGIN
Efes Pilsen
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
6 KASUN, MARIO 10:17 8 3/5   2/3 1   1         1 2 2 5
7 SMITH, CHARLES 31:47 5 1/1 1/7     3 3 3 1 3     2 1 2
9 SHUMPERT, PRESTON 13:53     0/1                     1  
11 THORNTON, BOOTSY 36:14 15 1/4 2/4 7/7 1 5 6 8 2 2     3 6 27
12 GONLUM, KEREM 19:36 13 6/8   1/1 5 2 7 1   2   1 4 1 13
13 VUJANIC, MILOS 24:44 6 1/2 0/3 4/4   3 3 2           3 10
14 PEKER, KAYA 10:58 4 2/4     1   1     2 1 1 3 1 -1
15 KAKIOUZIS, MICHAILIS 23:21 4 2/5 0/2   1 1 2     2   1 1   -3
18 DROBNJAK, PREDRAG 6:13 2 1/3 0/1     2 2     1 1 1   1 1
25 HAMMONDS, CLIFF 3:55 3     3/4         1       1 2 4
33 ARSLAN, ENDER 15:16 9 0/2 3/4         2 1       2 4 11
55 AKYOL, CENK 3:46     0/2                     1 -1
Team           2 1 3   1           4
Totals 200:00 69 17/34 6/24 17/19 11 17 28 16 6 12 2 5 18 23 72
50% 25% 89.5%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

PLAZA, JOAN
Real Madrid
"I am happy not only for this win, but also for finishing second in our regular season group, especialky after three tough games with complicated road trips. We have changed a lot as a team. We are now able to challenge the big teams. The only thing I am not happy about is with our defense in the kast five minutes, but I am very satisfied with the good defense we had on Charles Smith, Bootsy Thornton and Milos Vujanic."
ATAMAN, ERGIN
Efes Pilsen
"We played good team defense in the first half but didn't do well in offense, especially from three-point range. My backcourt players had a bad day and my only option ws to try an aggressive fullcourt pressure that didn't work either."

Players

MASSEY, JEREMIAH
Real Madrid
"We had a good game, played tough and rebounded really well. I am happy with the game I had but my teammates played really well and generally speaking, it was a good game for us as a team. It took me a little bit of time to adjust to the team but I am playing better and better now. I know that if I pay attention to my coaches, everything will be fine. The Top 16 will be tough, there are no easy opponents but we have a good team."
HERVELLE, AXEL
Real Madrid
"I was looking forward to coming up but the most important thing was to win the game. I am happy with the final outcome, we worked hard in defense for 37 minutes but Arslan scored three triples that made us lose control a little bit. We are happy in general terms and really focused for the Top 16. We don't want to think about which opponents we may face because a team like Real Madrid must be able to beat anybody."
SMITH, CHARLES
Efes Pilsen
"It has been a very special game for me that allowed me to bring back a lot of good memories. I definitely felt really well here at Vistalegre. s for the game, it was a tough one, but I realy appreciate the support from all Madrid fans. It was emotional, even when we did not make it to the Top 16 and that is sad for us. There are very good teams in the Top 16 and it is a shame not to be part of that."
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