Real Madrid secured second place in the Endesa League with a convincing 73-55 victory over Betis Basketball on a day when the visitors struggled to find rhythm on the court. Betis had a rough start and found it even harder to recover as the game unfolded, falling to their eighth defeat in nine outings. The matchup confirmed Real Madrid’s position as a strong contender in the league, grinding out a win on a surface that demanded resilience from both teams.
The Madrid side opened with a hesitant stretch, losing four possessions in the opening two minutes and surrendering a rapid 5-0 sequence. They regrouped quickly, producing two straight scores and another successful shot to move the score to 7-12 by the fifth minute, driven by the efforts of Edy Tavares and Gabi Deck. The Argentine guard, alongside the Canarian playmaker Sergio Rodríguez, emerged as the game’s top scorers at that stage, each tallying 10 points and setting the tone for their team’s early assertiveness.
By the end of a highly physical first half, Real Madrid controlled the pace and the scoreboard thanks to the inside presence of their big men. The visitors, Betis, faced a noticeable disadvantage stemming from injuries to their two starting centers, which limited their interior options and made it harder to compete in the paint. The result was a clear edge for Madrid on the boards and in the paint, translating into a growing lead as the period concluded.
Fabien Causeur opened the second quarter with a three-pointer that extended Madrid’s advantage to 18-33 around the 14-minute mark. Betis did respond momentarily, sparked by Shannon Evans, but the hosts remained in control as the halftime horn sounded with the score at 26-39. Tavares had already contributed nine points, underscoring Madrid’s strength and the depth of the roster, which was proving too much for the visitors on that night.
The cadence slowed after the break as both teams stalled somewhat in their attack. Betis found a brief spark from BJ Johnson, who helped keep Betis within striking distance by converting a pair of three-pointers in the third quarter. Real Madrid, meanwhile, leaned on Cornelie and his teammates to maintain the rhythm and keep a comfortable distance from the scoreboard, with the defensive stance matching the scoreline and ensuring the visitors could not mount a sustained comeback.
Entering the final period, the two-point exchanges between Chacho Rodríguez and Hezonja signaled a decisive moment that sealed Betis’s fate. Madrid pushed ahead to a 39-59 lead by the 32nd minute, and while Betis did manage to string together a few baskets from Bertans and Zvetkovic, the deficit proved insurmountable. The late push was more about personal pride than turning the game, as Madrid continued to control the pace and protect their advantage to the end of the contest.
Data sheet:
55 – Real Betis Basketball (16+10+11+18): Evans (9), Bertans (8), BJ Johnson (8), Kurucs (2), Sylla (4) -top five-, Báez (2), Tsalmpouris (5), Cvetkovic (9), Almazán (0), Pools (0) and Peak (8).
73 – Real Madrid (23+16+14+20): Williams-Goss (4), Moses (7), Deck (10), Cornelie (7), Tavares (9) -first quintet-, Causeur (5), Poirier (8), Ndiaye (2), Abalde (2), Chacho Rodriguez (10) and Hezonja (9).
referees: Fernando Calatrava, Rubén Sánchez Mohedas and Vicente Martínez. Not deleted.
events: The ninth day of the Endesa League season took place at Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo before an audience of 4,364 spectators, showcasing a night of competitive basketball and the ongoing relevance of the league on the national stage.