May 26, 2013
Regular Season Game 7 - December 11, 2008 CET: 20:45 Local time: 20:45 - PALACIO VISTALEGRE
Real Madrid 68 - 67 Partizan

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
3-3 Regular Season 3-3
3-3 Overall 3-3

Referees

Crew Chief
VOREADIS, LAZAROS, Greece
Referee
RYZHYK, BORYS, Ukraine
Umpire
LEFWERTH, OSCAR, Sweden

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
74.8 Points 72.3
31.2 Rebounds 35.8
11.7 O. Rebounds 15.3
19.5 D. Rebounds 20.5
13.3 Assists 13.3
8.5 Steals 5.7
1.8 Blocks 3.8
14.5 Turnovers 14.2
56.6 % 2PT 53.6 %
28.8 % 3PT 32.2 %
76.9 % FT 68.2 %
80.0 Index 73.8
Team Stats - Real Madrid
Team Stats - Partizan

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
12.0 / Reyes Points 13.0 / Tepic
6.5 / Reyes Rebounds 8.0 / Lasme
2.0 / Hervelle OR 3.8 / Lasme
5.0 / Reyes DR 4.2 / Lasme
2.8 / Llull Assists 4.2 / Tepic
1.3 / Hosley Steals 1.5 / Lasme
0.8 / Hosley Blocks 1.5 / Lasme
2.5 / BULLOCK, LOUIS Turnovers 2.5 / VELICKOVIC, NOVICA
81.3 % / Llull 2PT 64.7 % / Vitkovac
42.9 % / MASSEY, JEREMIAH 3PT 50.0 % / S. Milosevic
100.0 % / SANCHEZ, PEPE FT 85.0 % / Rasic
13.7 / Reyes Index 17.2 / Lasme
Team Roster - Real Madrid
Team Roster - Partizan

THE TAKE

A key game for Top 16 survival in competitive Group D is also a classic Euroleague showdown, as Real Madrid welcomes Partizan to the Spanish capital on Thursday night. Both teams are part of a three-way tie with Panionios On Telecoms for second place in Group D, each with a 3-3 record, so it comes as no surprise to say that the winner will take a crucial step forwards to reach the next round. Partizan already beat Madrid 81-77 in Belgrade behind 18 points from Aleksandar Rasic. Madrid released center Lazaros Papadopoulos recently, but keeps star forward Felipe Reyes to lead a very solid frontcourt. Jeremiah Massey has undergone an adjustment period and is ready to complement Axel Hervelle at power forward, with center Venson Hamilton seeing limited playing time off the bench. Reyes is ready to have a key matchup against Novica Velickovic, but if he opts to open the court by playing away from the basket, Hervelle will be ready to step up on defense. Even though Partizan starts with giant Slavko Vranes, Stephane Lasme sees most playing time at center, so his matchup against Massey and Reyes will be one of the keys to this game. Up-and-coming forward Jan Vesely and Zarko Rakocevic will also take turns trying to stop Reyes. The point guard battle will be equally interesting, with Rasic and Petar Bozic seeing most playing time for Partizan. Madrid can offer as many as three playmakers, with pass-first genius Pepe Sanchez, creative point guard Raul Lopez or Sergi Lull, who can also be used at the off-guard spot to replace shooting ace Louis Bullock. Lopez will try to use his ball handling and quickness against Rasic in one of the key matchups in this game. Bullock will be the man to watch for Partizan, but Madrid has an advantage at small forward with Alex Mumbru and Quinton Hosley. Marko Tomas is recovered and already shined against Panionios, so expect an interesting matchup against Partizan’s star swingman Milenko Tepic. Bullock will test his scoring skills against streak shooter Uros Tripkovic, while Cedomir Vitkovac is ready to battle against Hosley and Mumbru. Madrid needs to get the crowd involved and to get Reyes and Massey involved, as well as making the most out of its advantage at small forward. Partizan must try to feed Lasme down low and expect a big game from Tepic. With some of the best players in Europe fighting for survival, the fans at Palacio Vistalegre will get a chance to witness dome true drama.

GAME QUOTES

Real Madrid
  • Point guard Pepe Sanchez scored his Euroleague career-high of 20 points with Unicaja at Partizan in the regular season final of the 2006-07 season.
  • Guard Louis Bullock achieved his Euroleague career-high in steals, 6, against Partizan in November 2005.
  • Forward Alex Mumbru scored in double figures in both meetings against only two teams last season – Partizan and Lottomatica Roma. He averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2 assists against the Serbian champs last season.
  • Guard Sergio Llull scored a season-high 19 points off the bench in the team’s game against Partizan in October.
  • Forward Axel Hervelle recorded season highs of 12 points and 9 rebounds last week at Panionios.
  • Marko Tomas matched his Euroleague career-high with 18 points last week at Panionios.
Partizan
  • Guard Milenko Tepic has made at least one three-pointer in 11 consecutive Euroleague games. The streak dates back to the Top 16 last season. He has made 22 triples in 50 attempts (44%) during the streak.
  • Center Slavko Vranes needs one more blocked shot to reach 50 for his Euroleague career. He is one of only 10 players in Euroleague Basketball history to appear in at least 40 games and average more than one block per game.
  • Vranes’s best game last season came against Real Madrid, when he recorded 7 points, 6 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 14 minutes.
  • The magic number for Partizan has been 80 points. The Serbian champs have won nine of the last 10 games in which they have scored at least 80.
  • Sharpshoter Uros Tripkovic recorded the lone blocked shot of his Euroleague career at Real Madrid in January 2006. He blocked the shot of center Venson Hamilton.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

PLAZA, JOAN
Real Madrid
"We are before a very important game for us in order to qualify for the Top 16, so we will have to play our best basketball and we also need the support of our crowd, like we did in the last Spanish League game at home. Partizan is a quality team, especially in offense, and their main weapons are outside shooting, pick and roll game and offensive rebounding, where their backcourt players can also hurt us a lot. We want to win the next two home games we have and we want to pursue our weak points in our game, to keep getting better week after week."
VUJOSEVIC, DUSKO
Partizan
"Our results are better than anyone expected before the competition started. We have the system and our play does not depend of three-point shots. We are one step away from the Top 16. But a Chinese saying goes that a man who has ran a long course but needs one more step is at the half of the road. Just like we are. We respect Real Madrid a lot. They did not show their full force so far and this is right moment. Real Madrid released Papadopoulos, I don't know the reason why, but that is the sign of alarm. The first alarm came last week when they lost to Panionios in Euroleague. Those cases make the tension inside the team grow. And they are aware that it is hard to play with us. It will be battle without guards."

Players

REYES, FELIPE
Real Madrid
"We lost in the first leg against Partizan in Belgrade and we all know they are a dangerous team when they play on the road, so we know that we cannot have any concentration mistakes during the game. We are strongly motivated because we want to be a strong team at home, and because this win would be very valuable to us in order to advance to the Top 16. The key aspects to get this win will be to control the rebounds and to guard their shooters well. Those two things made us lose in Belgrade."
BOZIC, PETAR
Partizan
"I would be happy if we repeat our first game in Belgrade when we beat Real Madrid. In Euroleague everything might happen and it would be no surprise if we beat Real Madrid again. Last week, Panionios showed the way to turn our hopes into reality. Good news to us is that Zarko Rakocevic is with the team again after he missed the last Adriatic League game with Split due to light injury."
Marko Tomas - Real MadridReal Madrid survived a tough battle and took a crucial step to reach the Top 16 in Group D by edging Partizan 68-67 in the Spanish capital on Thursday night. Madrid is now second in Group D with a 4-3 record. Meanwhile, Partizan joins a three-way tie for the third place with Efes Pilsen and Panionios On Telecoms, all at 3-4. Marko Tomas became the game hero with hitting the game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds. Felipe Reyes led the winners with 15 points and 9 rebounds while Tomas added 10 points for Madrid. Uros Tripkovic led Partizan with 22 points on 6-for-8 three-pointers. Novica Velickovic added 10 for the guests, that trailed 31-13 midway through the second quarter. Velickovic, Petar Bozic and an outstanding Tripkovic allowed Partizan to rally in the second half and get a 54-55 midway through the fourth quarter. Velickovic, Milenko Tepic and Tripkovic struck from downtown in the final minute to give Partizan a 65-67 edge with 44 seconds to go. Tomas answered from downtown while Raul Lopez collected a key steal to make Madrid register a key win.

Jan Vesely got Partizan going with a put-back layup that Reyes erased with a jumper. Partizan tried a big lineup with Vesely at small forward playing alongside Stephane Lasme and Slavko Vranes. Tomas scored in penetration while Jeremiah Massey added a layup for a 6-2 Madrid lead. Lasme sank free throws that Reyes bettered that with a three-point play. Partizan struggled to score and tried to add more fire power with Velickovic at power forward. Pepe Sanchez shined with a behind-the-back assist to Reyes while free throws by Tomas gave Madrid its first double-digit margin, 14-4. Partizan called timeout to adjust its offense, as the guests went scoreless for 4 minutes until Lasme sank a free throw. Sanchez answered from downtown while Louis Bullock capped a 14-1 Madrid run with foul shots. Velickovic stepped up with a fast break layup that Vesely followed with a six-meter jumper. Reyes took over with a put-back basket while Bulock gave Madrid a 15-point lead, 24-9, after 10 minutes.

Uros Tripkovic - PartizanPartizan kept struggling to score early in the second quarter while a fast break layup by Alex Mumbru gave Madrid a 26-9 lead. Vranes tried to ignit the guests' comeback with a dunk but he didn't find much help around. Meanwhile, Lopez fired in a corner three-pointer to break the game open, 29-11. Partizan tried to play more aggressive and attack the basket, as Strahinja Milosevic shined with a second-chance layup. Mumbru buried a jumper but Tripkovic nailed a triple to get the guests within 31-16. Milosevic and Lasme made free throws but Madrid still kept a safe lead at 32-19. Sergio Llull beat the guests' zone defense with a corner three-pointer. Tripkovic answered from downtown off a Partizan timeout, as the guests improved their defense late in this quarter. Sanchez hit a foul shot while a power layup by Zarko Rakocevic got Partizan within 36-24 as both teams headed back to the locker rooms.

Velickovic made free throws right after the break that Axel Hervelle matched with an acrobatic layup. Madrid tried to play more physical now with Quinton Hosley, Reyes and Hervelle together on court. Lasme provided a highlight with a wild three-point play that got Partizan within single digits, 38-29. Hosley folowed a free throw with a triple from the top of the key to give Madrid some fresh air at 42-29. Tripkovic answered from downtown, as the game turned into a physical battle. Hosley took over with a put-back basket but Milosevic followed free throws with a corner triple to keep the guests within 45-37. Massey steped up with a power layup but free throws by Tripkovic and Bozic brought Partizan back to life, 47-41. Tripkovic took over with another three-pointer but Sanchez immediately answered from downtown for a 50-44 score. Tripkovic and Bullock traded free throws while Bozic buried a triple to keep the guests within 52-49 after 30 minutes.

Madrid improved its defense early in the fourth quarter but kept committing turnovers. Both teams went scoreless for more than 2 minutes until Tripkovic nailed his fourth three-pointer to tie the game, 52-52. Madrid could not find the way to the basket, missing 6 consecutive shots until Massey made free throws. Tripkovic stroke again from downtown to give Partizan its first lead since the opening basket, 54-55. Reyes and Tomas rescued Madrid with more foul shots for a 59-55 margin with 3:30 remaining. Velickovic fired in a key three-pointer and Tepic copied him soon after that to restore a 59-60 Partizan edge with 2 minutes to go. Lopez joined the three-point shootout but Velickovic answered with an eight-meter bomb for a 62-64 score. Reyes was fouled twice and made 3-for-4 free throws but Tripkovic buried another triple for a 65-67 score with 44 seconds remaining. Tomas answered from downtown while Lopez collected a key steal in Partizan's final possession to make Madrid seal the incredible, thrilling win.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Euroleague.net
Referees: VOREADIS, LAZAROS (GRE), RYZHYK, BORYS (UKR), LEFWERTH, OSCAR (SWE)
Attendance: 6100
By Quarter1234
Real Madrid24121616
Partizan9152518
End of Quarter1234
Real Madrid24365268
Partizan9244967
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 19:27 7   2/3 1/2   1 1 3 1 1     2 5 12
8 PEREZ, JAVIER DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9 REYES, FELIPE 28:37 15 4/9   7/13 2 7 9 2 4 1   1 3 8 22
14 HOSLEY, QUINTON 8:55 7 1/2 1/1 2/4 1   1   1 1   2 2 4 5
15 MUMBRU, ALEX 14:57 4 2/3 0/2     3 3 1   3     2    
17 HERVELLE, AXEL 20:22 3 1/1   1/2   2 2 1 2   2   3 2 8
21 MASSEY, JEREMIAH 26:30 7 2/7 0/2 3/6 2 4 6 1   1 1 2 2 3 3
22 BULLOCK, LOUIS 20:58 6 1/1 0/4 4/4   1 1 1     1 2 2 5 6
23 LLULL, SERGIO 20:20 3 0/1 1/2     1 1 1 1       2   2
24 LOPEZ, RAUL 20:33 6 0/2 2/4   1 1 2 2 1 2   1   2 6
33 TOMAS, MARKO 19:21 10 1/3 1/3 5/5 1 1 2 1         2 4 11
43 HAMILTON, VENSON DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Team           2 1 3               3
Totals 200:00 68 12/29 7/21 23/36 9 22 31 13 10 9 4 8 20 33 78
41.4% 33.3% 63.9%
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: VUJOSEVIC, DUSKO
Partizan
# 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
5 TEPIC, MILENKO 26:29 6 0/4 2/3   1 2 3 5   3     4 3 5
8 MILOSEVIC, STRAHINJA 16:07 9 1/2 1/1 4/4 2 1 3 1     1 1 2 3 13
10 RASIC, ALEKSANDAR 13:53     0/3           1 2     2   -6
11 TRIPKOVIC, UROS 27:59 22 0/1 6/8 4/5   3 3 4   2       5 28
12 VELICKOVIC, NOVICA 26:32 10 1/2 2/4 2/2 2 2 4 1 1 3   1 4 1 6
13 LASME, STEPHANE 25:05 7 1/7 0/1 5/7 1 4 5   2 3 5 1 5 6 7
14 ALEKSIC, VUKASIN DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
15 VITKOVAC, CEDOMIR 2:32     0/1     2 2     1     1   -1
20 BOZIC, PETAR 15:55 5   1/5 2/2   2 2 2     1   4 2 4
22 RAKOCEVIC, ZARKO 18:00 2 1/2       4 4         1 4    
24 VESELY, JAN 14:16 4 2/3 0/1   1 2 3     1 1   5    
33 VRANES, SLAVKO 13:12 2 1/2       3 3     2     2    
Team           1 1 2               2
Totals 200:00 67 7/23 12/27 17/20 8 26 34 13 4 17 8 4 33 20 58
30.4% 44.4% 85%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

PLAZA, JOAN
Real Madrid
"First of all, and before anything else, we won the game against a team that lost three Euroleague games by just 1 point. Partizan has not lost a game by more than 5-6 points and two weeks ago against CSKA it had three shots to win the game. I think that our main mistake was missing too many free throws, but I must admit that they shot in an unbelievable way, sometimes because of our bad defense. It is not the first time that we lost a big lead and this is something that keeps us worried. Our zone defense worked well, even when they made some three-pointers, but in the end we managed to play good defense on their final offense."
VUJOSEVIC, DUSKO
Partizan
"First of all, I must congratulate Real Madrid for its win tonight. I cannot be happy about the way we played in the first half, but we did well after the break because we managed to play more aggressive. We played with heart and reached a situation in which we could have won, but we made some major mistakes down the stretch. First of all, we left Tomas open, even though it was an eight-meter shot. Then Lasme picked up his fifth foul, and the biggest mistake is that we were not able to organize our last offense with 17 seconds to go. Considering how young my team is and its lack of experience, I cannot be unhappy, because my team showed its talent and character, especially in the second half. Hopefully all these 1-point losses will be given back to us in the near future."

Players

TOMAS, MARKO
Real Madrid
"I am very happy with this win because it opens the Top 16 door for us. It was a difficult game, very complicated, because Partizan shot really well from three-point range. At some point it looked that they would only make three-pointers and free throws. As for my game-winning basket, I wasn't afraid when I received the ball because I was open and not afraid of taking the shot. Shooting was the logical decision and I am happy I hit it."
TRIPKOVIC, UROS
Partizan
"We started the game with too much fear, respecting Real Madrid more than it deserved. That translated into a 12-point halftime deficit. We managed to match their tough game in the same way after the break, improved our aggressiveness and were about to register the most important Euroleague win this season. We ran out of luck in the final offense. I had the feeling that I would make the last shot if I got the ball, but it didn't get to me. Everything is up for grabs and I hope we can make it to the Top 16."
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