Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes delivered an unforgettable clash that pushed Euroleague history into the spotlight. After four overtimes, the decision finally landed, a moment nobody will forget. The Bosnian star Dzanan Musa carried his team’s hopes with a dazzling display of offense and playmaking, finishing with 40 points, eight assists and two rebounds. His performance lit the arena and steered his team toward a dramatic victory in a game that will be remembered for years. He was the catalyst in the darkest moments and the guide toward a bright destiny for his squad. This is the kind of night that defines a season and etches a player into Euroleague legend, as reported by Euroleague sources.
The home side entered the match intent on bouncing back from a European setback and a tough domestic defeat to their archrival. The aim was clear: avoid two straight losses this year and turn the sting of a defeat into a stepping stone. It was a high-stakes contest where every possession mattered and the crowd sensed something bigger was at play.
An early 8-0 run, sparked by Elijah Bryant, signaled Real Madrid’s confidence as the game opened. Yet Efes responded with poise, keeping the tempo elevated in a first half that rewarded sharpshooters from long range. The teams combined for twenty-eight attempts from three in the opening twenty minutes, with fourteen from each side, and only four of those efforts finding the bottom of the net before halftime. Mario Hezonja contributed two of those three-point makes, pushing his tournament total past the 200-point mark.
The paint became a focal battleground as the second quarter unfolded. Real Madrid found more success near the basket, finishing 19 for 13 in the paint, but the price paid came in offensive rebounding for the opponent. The half ended with the score tight and the teams squarely in range, 38-36 at the intermission.
Efes found a spark after the break as Mike Daum, Tibor Pleiss, and Darius Thompson combined to score nine of their team’s first 13 points from the perimeter. A 5-for-17 three-point surge to start the second half sounded the alarm for Real Madrid, who led 43-53 by the 25th minute.
Musa then asserted his influence with a burst of eleven points in just over six minutes, lifting the home crowd and stabilizing his team during a tense stretch. The visitors answered with Shane Larkin keeping them close, capping the period with a three that trimmed the deficit to three after thirty minutes, 64-61.
After the timeout, Efes returned with renewed intent, climbing five points in less than three minutes. Musa refused to allow a surrender and tied the game in the closing seconds. Larkin orchestrated Efes’ final attack, and Fabien Causeur’s tough defense forced a difficult shot that wouldn’t drop as time expired, sending the game into its first overtime. The momentum shifted while celebrations began to simmer.
In the first extra period, Musa delivered the pivotal assist, Campazzo drilled a three, and Walter Tavares finished with a rim-rocking dunk. Hezonja extended the lead with two free throws, but Larkin responded with a 2-plus-1 and a subsequent free throw to keep Efes within reach. The tension on the floor matched the roar of the stands, where every possession carried enormous weight. Both teams squandered chances on either end, and the overtime period remained fiercely contested.
The decisive phase arrived with Real Madrid clinging to a one-score edge as the clock wound down. Campazzo failed on a shot, then converted a late free throw, while Larkin answered again with a clutch double to level the score at 91-91 with eight seconds left. Hezonja narrowly missed a potential winner from long range as time expired, forcing a second overtime.
In the second extra frame, the intense back-and-forth continued. Larkin, Pleiss and Thompson swapped triples, pushing Efes within striking distance with just 2:18 remaining. Tavares answered with a dunk, but a late miscue allowed Efes another late push. The period ended with Real Madrid still in the fight and the game headed toward a dramatic conclusion.
The third overtime intensified the drama. The two teams traded blows as fatigue clashed with pride. Campazzo and Tavares helped Real Madrid regain momentum with timely baskets and a three from Hezonja widened the gap briefly, yet Efes again refused to surrender. Dan Oturu delivered a key late score as time dwindled, and Tavares answered with a standout dunk that momentarily shifted the balance.
The arena remained electric as the night stretched into the early hours. The three veterans, Campazzo and Tavares, along with Hezonja from outside, kept Real Madrid ahead at crucial moments. Efes refused to bow. They kept pace, trading blows and keeping the threshold of possibility alive for the visiting team.
Then came the final sequence that defined the night. Hezonja connected on a timely three with thirty-six seconds left, putting Efes ahead and crafting a pinnacle moment in Euroleague lore. It stood as the capstone of a match that will be cited for years as one of the competition’s most memorable battles.
Data sheet
130-Real Madrid (25+13+26+17+10+11+9+19): Campazzo (25), Causeur (5), Musa (40), Hezonja (31), Tavares (20) -starting team-, Yabusele (2) , Sergio Rodríguez (2), Poirier (5), Ndiaye (-), Abalde (-) and Llull (-).
126-Anadolu Efes (18+18+25+20+10+11+9+11): Beaubois (10), Bryant (13), Thompson (21), Pleiss (14), Daum (15) – top five – Larkin (32) , Oturu (14) and Jones (7).
referees: Matej Boltauzer (Slovenia), Robert Vyklicky (Czech Republic) and Sergio Silva (Portugal). They held out Facundo Campazzo and Elijah Bryant for five.
Events: The 19th match day of the Euroleague was played at the WiZink Center in front of approximately 12,000 spectators. In the preview, the best player of the month award was given to Mario Hezonja.