Real Madrid extends streak with decisive road win over Joventut Badalona
Real Madrid stretched their unbeaten run against Joventut Badalona to eleven games with an 86-76 victory on the road at Palau Olimpic. Mario Hezonja led the charge with 20 points, including four three-pointers, as Real Madrid dictated the pace from the opening tip and stayed ahead through a disciplined, two-way performance on both ends of the floor.
The Joventut squad arrived in Gran Canaria with urgency looking toward the EuroCup semi finals, yet they could not match Madrid’s intensity. Real Madrid set the tone early with an 0-8 burst that showed a clear intent to seize control. Against Joventut, Madrid displayed patience and precision, converting fast breaks and keeping their defense organized to fend off a quick comeback.
In the first half, Real Madrid built an early edge through the contributions of Causeur and Hezonja, taking charge against a Joventut side led by a promising 13-point effort from their top scorer Andres Feliz. The hosts occasionally frittered away possessions, but their defense remained stubborn, forcing tough shots and limiting second-chance opportunities for the visitors.
The greens found rhythm after Ellenson and Parra connected on back-to-back triples, briefly trimming the deficit. Still, Real Madrid maintained the upper hand, anchored by a disciplined defensive stance and quick counters that pushed the advantage to 15 points at 10-25 in the opening period. Birgander provided a spark for the home attack when Ante Tomic was off the floor, but Joventut’s defense struggled to slow Madrid’s movement. A late basket plus one from Musa stretched the gap to 18-30 as the first quarter wrapped up, signaling a tough hill to climb for the local team.
The second period opened with Joventut tightening its defense and crafting a 10-3 run to close the gap to 28-33 by the 15th minute. With Tavares unavailable, Real Madrid found it harder to move the ball and create easy looks, prompting Hezonja to re-enter and recharge the offense. A timely three from the Croatian guard and another from Sergio Llull steadied Madrid, restoring their lead as the half progressed. The teams traded baskets, and a late Tomic bucket kept the score within reach at 38-45 before halftime.
Joventut returned from the break with renewed purpose, leaning on Brodziansky and Tomic to narrow the margin to six at 46-52 by the 25th minute, signaling a potential shift in momentum. Hezonja answered again, with Dzanan Musa delivering crucial scoring and floor leadership. The duo, along with strong defensive efforts, helped Real Madrid push the advantage back to a more comfortable distance, reaching 50-65 after a productive sequence featuring Musa and Randolph on both ends of the floor.
Chus Mateo’s squad extended the lead to 17 points late in the third, at 54-71, as Joventut rotated veterans and rested key players in the final stretch. Real Madrid continued to press, maintaining the margin with full-court transitions designed to disrupt late pushes from the home team. The visitors finished the third with control and moved into the fourth with a substantial cushion.
With Joventut dealing with resting starters, Real Madrid widened the gap to twenty points as the clock wound down, 65-85 with just under two minutes remaining. Kyle Guy saw action late and added a couple of triples to seal the result, capping a well-rounded evening for the visitors. The outcome was effectively decided well before the final buzzer as Madrid managed clock and resources with steady defensive intensity.
Data sheet:
Joventut Badalona tallies: Feliz 13, Parra 6, Ellenson 8, Tomic 6, Brodziansky 8, Vives 9, Birgander 8, Guy 12, plus contributions from Busquets and Kraag as the balance shifted through the night.
Real Madrid tallies: Hezonja 20, Deck 13, Causeur 6, Tavares 4, Randolph 2, Yabusele 6, Musa 16, Llull 6, Goss 6, Hanga 7, and other steady contributions across the roster.
referees: Juan Carlos García González, Joaquín García and Iyan González. Not deleted.
events: The matchup, part of the 29th day of the Endesa League, drew a crowd of 9,604 to the Palau Olimpic in Badalona, underscoring the importance of a strong home venue in the league’s late run.