Real Madrid, led by Guerschon Yabusele and Mario Hezonja, claimed a decisive 68-79 victory at Fonteta on Friday. The win keeps Madrid firmly in the hunt for the league lead in the Endesa League and adds pressure on Valencia Basket to protect the eighth place and stay in the championship race as the season approaches its critical stretch.
Madrid arrived on the back of an epic comeback against Partizan in midweek, a momentum that helped them overcome fatigue despite several injuries and rotations. Early missteps by Valencia—amplified by Yabusele’s scoring burst—set the tone with a 4-14 deficit early in the first period, shaking Álex Mumbrú’s side from the start. The Madrid collective found balance with the visitors, and the home side’s mistakes fed into Real Madrid’s confidence.
The game settled as Martin Hermannsson and Jonah Radebaugh steadied Valencia, while James Webb III and Bojan Dubljević kept the hosts stubbornly in touch. Mario Hezonja’s explosive entry for Madrid injected urgency, and Valencia, despite pushing hard, could not shake the visiting rhythm. Madrid’s defense tightened as Walter Tavares chipped in crucial points, maintaining a slim lead that stretched through the first half to 35-39 at the break.
Chris Jones sparked Valencia’s late rally, but Hezonja’s 6.75-meter sniping and Yabusele’s relentless drives kept Madrid ahead at halftime. In the second half, Madrid extended its momentum with a 5-0 stretch that briefly nudged the scoreboard out of Valencia’s reach. Yabusele reappeared to blunt Valencia’s attempts to shift the balance and restore Madrid’s control and composure. Valencia’s outside shooting drought further favored Real Madrid, building a 53-60 margin as the third period ended.
Amid confident play from Fabien Causeur, Madrid leveraged defensive switches that Mateo’s squad could not fully counter. Hezonja returned refreshed, and Madrid moved steadily through the clock without surrendering control, finishing the third period ahead 63-73. Valencia’s shooting cold spell—especially from beyond the arc—limited any sustained comeback attempt, leaving their opponents to close out the game with little drama.
Valencia’s late push faded as they misfired on multiple three-point opportunities—six makes from twenty-eight attempts—leaving them exhausted in the final minutes. Still, the contest offered meaningful drama as Madrid’s win kept the race for top seeds alive, with Barcelona and Baskonia also securing victories that night, maintaining an option to finish in one of the league’s top spots.
By contrast, the loss dropped Valencia further behind in the standings. They now stand with a single win separating them from UCAM Murcia, and the fight for playoff positioning grows tighter as the season enters its final phase. In this scenario, the final stretch becomes a test of consistency and resolve for the Valencian side as they seek to climb into the safe zone for postseason play.
Data sheet highlights a balanced effort from Madrid, with Yabusele leading the team with 25 points and Hezonja contributing 20, supported by Abalde and Causeur as secondary scorers. Valencia balanced scoring across Evans, Webb III, Dubljevic, and Radebaugh, but could not translate that production into an upset at Fonteta. Referees Conde, Padros, and Sánchez oversaw the match, played in front of 7,585 spectators on the 32nd day of the Endesa League. The reporting of the match aligns with league summaries published by the official Endesa League records and post-match analyses provided by multiple sports outlets, including field notes from the game night.
Thus, Real Madrid preserves its momentum with a win that reinforces the contenders’ narrative as the season heads toward its decisive phase, while Valencia continues the long, demanding journey to secure a playoff berth and improve their standing in the league table. Source notes from the official competition communications and post-match reviews corroborate this interpretation of the game’s dynamics and outcomes.