Real Madrid got the first Clasico victory of the 2023-24 season in Murcia’s Supercopa Endesa, winning the trophy once more. In the ACB’s third round, Chus Mateo’s team found itself on the victorious end once again, beating Barcelona 86-79.

Vincent Poirier was dominant on the glass for the reigning EuroLeague champs, providing 22 points and 8 rebounds with 9/13 from the field while coming off the bench. Being named MVP in the Supercopa Endesa at the beginning of the season, Facundo Campazzo had 17 points and 5 assists today.

Moreover, trying to fill the gap as Edy Tavares couldn’t be part of the game, the 16-year-old Ismaila Diagne went close to a double-double of 9 points and 8 rebounds, including a thunderous alley-oop.

On Barcelona’s side, Dario Brizuela was his team’s highest scorer with 14 points after being forced to miss basically the whole semifinal of the Supercopa Endesa due to a head injury. Rokas Jokubaitis followed with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

With this victory, Real Madrid reached Basquet Girona and UCAM Murcia up in the ACB standings with an unbeaten 3-0 record. FC Barcelona suffers its first loss of the season in the domestic league, being at 2-1 with Baskonia, Valencia, and Joventut Badalona.

16 AÑOS

¡QUÉ AUTÉNTICA LOCURA, ISMAILA DIAGNE!

@MovistarPlus#LigaEndesa | @ismad0415 #ListosParaRomperla pic.twitter.com/zmJiJkgseJ

— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) October 1, 2023

Liga Endesa 2023-24 Round 3 Results:

Baskonia – Surne Bilbao 92-72
UCAM Murcia – Lenovo Tenerife 80-68
Unicaja Malaga – Valencia Basket 76-82
Joventut Badalona – Gran Canaria 89-75
Coviran Granada – Basquet Girona 91-102
MoraBanc Andorra – Palencia 87-74
Rio Breogan – BAXI Manresa 85-89
Real Madrid – FC Barcelona 86-79
Monbus Obradoiro – Casademont Zaragoza (11/10 at 20:00 CET)

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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After a surprising loss to Murcia, Baskonia got back on the right track with a convincing 92-72 win over Bilbao in front of 15,500 fans at the first match in Fernando Buesa Arena of the new season.

Marcus Howard led the way with 16 points, while Chima Moneke added 14 points, Nikos Rogkavopoulos 13. Vanja Marinkovic also finished in double digits with 11 points, as Khalifa Diop was on the verge of a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.

For Bilbao, Tryggvi Hlinason scored 13 points with eight boards, Kristian Kullamae added 12, and Adam Smith 11 points.

Big win for Valencia in Malaga

After a loss in the opener against Girona, Valencia first defeated Tenerife on the road, and now recorded another big win over Unicaja in Malaga – 76-82.

Former NBA and Virtus Bologna player Semi Ojeleye led the winning side with 19 points, while Chris Jones added 15.

Kendrick Perry’s 23 points weren’t enough for the hosts. Dylan Osetkowski followed him with 13, Nihad Djedovic with 12 and Jonathan Barreiro with 10 points

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Walter Tavares is dealing with a respiratory infection.

He is considered doubtful for the meeting of Real Madrid with archrival FC Barcelona on Sunday.

Due to the infection, he did not suit up in Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season Round 2. However, the team coached by Chus Mateo prevailed over BAXI Manresa on the road and improved to 2-0 at the top of the 2023-24 edition of ACB. Consequently, he is likely to miss Round 3 as well.

Following up on the Clasico, Los Blancos will open the 2023-24 Regular Season of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a visit to Baskonia’s Buesa Arena next Friday. Upping his total to 202 games played in Europe’s premier club continental competition, Tavares was named Best Defender of the 2022-23 season en route to winning the championship for the second time in his career.

Launching his seventh campaign with the team based in Spain’s capital, the Cape Verdean center was instrumental in the latest Supercopa Endesa triumph with 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per contest in Murcia. He added 15 points and three rebounds for the home win opposite Casademont Zaragoza in the opening round of the Liga Endesa Regular Season.

Tavares, 31, represented his country in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the first-ever appearance of Cape Verde, during the offseason. He tallied 9.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game over five appearances in Japan. His side narrowly missed a berth in next summer’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net

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Real Madrid defeated Baxi Manresa 94 – 88 on the road to improve to 2-0 in the Spanish ACB. The Blancos, who were minus star center Edy Tavares, used a late push with 13 points in the last five minutes of the game to get the win.

The score was tied at 81 halfway through the fourth period when Real made a 3 – 9 run to go up 84 – 92 with 1:42 to play. Manresa couldn’t overcome that deficit and dropped to 0-2.

Dzanan Musa scored a game-high 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out four assists for Real Madrid while Facu Campazzo notched 15 points plus eight dimes. Sergio Llull had eight out of his 13 points in the final period.

Tavares, 31, did not suit up for Round 2 of Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season. He is dealing with a respiratory infection, said head coach Chus Mateo after the game.

Brancou Badio dropped 16 points for Manresa.

ACB newcomer Palencia came extremely close to beating Barcelona, once in regulation and another time in the extra period. In the end, the Blaugrana prevailed 84 – 83 in overtime courtesy of Nicolas Laprovittola’s heroics.

While finishing with 20 points plus seven assists, Laprovittola hit the winning free throws with four seconds to play. He had sent the game to overtime by draining the buzzer-beater from midrange after making a free throw and intentionally missing the second one with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Willy Hernangomez had 21 points for Barcelona while Tomas Satoransky scored six out of his nine points in the last minutes of overtime with back-to-back 3-pointers to respond to Palencia’s Yannick Franke.

Franke finished with 19 points and five rebounds. Brandon Brown had 21 points plus five assists.

After just two rounds of action, only Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona and UCAM Murcia are left perfect in the standings with a 2-0 record.

Liga Endesa 2023-24 Round 2 Results:

Zaragoza – Murcia 100 – 92
Murcia – Baskonia 88 – 76
Tenerife – Valencia 86 – 94
Joventut Badalona – Granada 86 – 80
Girona – Gran Canaria 88 – 64
Palencia – Barcelona 83 – 84
Andorra – Rio Breogan 63 – 69
Manresa – Real Madrid 88 – 94

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Jahlil Okafor scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds to help CAI Zaragoza get its first win two rounds into the 2023-24 Spanish ACB season by defeating Unicaja Malaga 100 – 92.

Okafor shot 6-7 on 2-pointers, 1-2 triples and dished out two assists in his second official game in Spain and Europe in general. The former No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft previously had 13 points in his debut, a loss on the road to reigning EuroLeague champion Real Madrid.

During the 25:04 he spent on the floor, Okafor provided a fine sample of his skilled low-post moves and his rich offensive game. He scored in a variety of ways, pretty much making short work of anyone he found in front of him while attacking the basket.

Santi Yusta led Zaragoza overall with 20 points. Nihad Djedovic dropped 18 points for Malaga.

Photo: ACB

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As officially announced by Rio Breogan’s director general Tito Díaz in a press conference, Zan Mark Sisko will leave Rio Breogan after joining the Spanish side in the summer of 2023, announcing he may want to step back from the game of basketball.

Playing one single game with Rio Breogan, losing 88-79 against Baskonia while scoring 5 points, he then decided to leave the Galician team. “After trying for some time to get my career back on track after a year away, things didn’t go as I had hoped and planned, so I had to make the difficult decision to stop my basketball career and start a new chapter in my life”, he announced.

“I would like to thank all the people at the club for all the support and the opportunity they gave me. I would also like to thank all the fans for the love and support they have shown me in this short period of time. I wish them all the best for the future!”, the Slovenian playmaker also added.

Before moving to Rio Breogan, Zan Mark Sisko spent the previous four years in Bayern Munich, winning two German Cups. Previously, he played with Primorska, Ilirija, Cibona, and Union Olimpija, spending one year on loan to Škofja Loka.

In his all-time EuroLeague career, the 26-year-old point guard has been averaging 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 0.8 steals per game, shooting 47.9% from two-point range and 39.2% from beyond the arc.

Zan Mark Sisko sae do Río Breogán por motivos persoais. O xogador da as grazas ao club e afección nun comunicado no que confirma a súa decisión.
Desexamos o mellor a Zan no seu futuro! https://t.co/29EpCzcfVh pic.twitter.com/IwNKeyMo7L

— Río Breogán (@CBBreogan) September 27, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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The 2023/24 season in the ACB league started with a bang, as Round 1 was loaded with 1,569 points. That’s 174.33 points per match and 87.16 per team, which is the highest scoring average in the opening round since 1986.

The teams surpassed Round 1 of the 2020/21 season when 1,525 points were scored, marking the best opening round in this century until the start of this competitive year in the Spanish top league.

On the all-time lists, the start of the 2023/24 season ranks third behind 89.2 points per team in 1985/86 and 90.9 points per team in 1986/87. It’s worth mentioning that in the two highest-scoring opening rounds in Spanish League history, there were eight meetings. This time, there were nine.

And that’s not all. In a global ranking of matchdays, this season’s premiere ranks as the 7th highest-scoring matchday seen in the last century of the Endesa League, with Matchday 14 of the 2022-23 season (88.9 points per team on average) as the record holder.

For the second time in the century, a total of three different teams reached the 100-point barrier in one day. UCAM Murcia led the way with 104 points, three more than its rival, Coviran Granada, while Real Madrid recorded 101 against Zaragoza.

Regarding the winning teams, the average was 94 points per match, and only one team fell below the 70-point barrier, as Palencia scored 64 in a loss to Obradoiro.

The way the 2023/24 ACB league season started, it promises to be special.

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With five players scoring in double figures, Spanish ACB League reigning champion Barcelona began the new season with a 95 – 79 win over Joventut Badalona in the Catalonia derby.

Former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker had 13 points on 5-7 shots in his ACB debut and Willy Hernangomez produced 11 points plus six rebounds in his return to the league after seven years in the NBA. Nikola Kalinic scored 11 while Tomas Satoransky and Dario Brizuela dropped 10 points apiece.

Andrew Andrews (15 points), Vladimir Brodziansky (14 points, five rebounds) and Chinanu Onuaku (12 points) led Badalona in scoring. Their team was overpowered 24 – 17 after the break as Barca entered the final quarter up 68 – 57 behind a strong effort by Brizuela and Jan Vesely who had eight points apiece in the third period.

Parker’s buckets then helped the Blaugrana further increase their lead and secure the victory.

Earlier on Sunday (24/9), Markus Howard entered the season in a fiery manner and 29 points on five triples as Baskonia defeated Rio Breogan 88 – 79 on the road. Real Madrid didn’t face any problems against Zaragoza, taking a 101 – 70 victory.

2023-24 Liga Endesa Day 1 Results:

Valencia – Girona 85 – 89
Granada – Murcia 101 – 104
Obradoiro – Palencia 84 – 64
Unicaja Malaga – Lenovo Tenerife 98 – 75
Real Madrid – Zaragoza 101 – 70
Gran Canaria – Manresa 97 – 92
Bilbao – Andorra 95 – 73
Rio Breogan – Baskonia 79 – 88
Barcelona – Badalona 95 – 79

Photo: Barcelona

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Real Madrid started the new ACB campaign as strong as possible. Not giving Zaragoza a chance in Madrid as Chus Mateos team wins convincingly 101-70.

There was no real contest as Real got the job done right from the start, scoring 33 points in the first quarter for a big 33-18 lead that only grew to a 57-31 advantage at halftime. It was clear to everyone that the game was already decided.

Walter Tavares led the way for Real Madrid with 15 points and three rebounds in just 15 minutes of playtime. Alberto Abalde and Dzanan Musa added 12 points each, while Mario Hezonja had 11 points and seven rebounds.

As for Zaragoza, the former 3rd pick of the 2015 NBA draft Jahlil Okafor made his debut in Spain. In 15 minutes he had 13 points and four rebounds. Santigo Yusta scored 16 points for the losing side.

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Visiting La Fonteta in the ACB League’s opener, Basquet Girona pulled the upset 89-85 win against Alex Mumbru’s team, getting the surprising victory against the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague participant.

For Salva Camps’ team, Ike Iroegbu finished the encounter as Basquet Girona’s highest scorer with 16 points, just like Gyorgy Goloman, who also added 4 rebounds. The veteran point guard Quino Colom led his team playmaking-wise with 8 points and 7 assists.

The backcourt duo of Chris Jones and Jared Harper combined for 29 points, but they weren’t sufficient for Valencia. Debuting for the Spanish side, Brandon Davies provided 13 points and 4 rebounds, while Stefan Jovic ended his game scoreless after 11:51 minutes on the domestic court.

ACB League – Round 1

Granada – UCAM Murcia 101-104
Valencia – Basquet Girona 85-89
Obradoiro – Palencia (playing now)
Unicaja Malaga – Lenovo Tenerife (playing now)
Real Madrid – Casademont Zaragoza (24/09 at 12:30 CET)
Gran Canaria – BAXI Manresa (24/09 at 13:00 CET)
Rio Breogan – Baskonia (24/09 at 17:00 CET)
Surne Bilbao Basket – MoraBanc Andorra (24/09 at 17:00 CET)
FC Barcelona – Joventut Badalona (24/09 at 18:30 CET)

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – Keeping an eye on the prize, despite actually starting the 2023-24 campaign with individual and team achievements, Facundo Campazzo is focused on Real Madrid getting ready for upcoming challenges, following winning the Supercopa Endesa on Sunday.

Campazzo, 32, was named MVP of the four-team tournament, marking a brilliant start to the latest stint with the Whites.

“The MVP and individual prizes are secondary,” he stressed after his side beat Unicaja in the final, “The team showed its best level, each player was at the right time and this makes this team winner and great.”

“The objective is not to loosen at any time, play each game as if it were in the Playoffs,” he added, “This shirt asks you 100% both physically and mentally.”

Following 152 games played in the NBA and brief spell with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, the Argentine point guard returned to Madrid during the offseason.

“Many things happened in two and a half years, but now I am here, I enjoy very much being here, in the ACB, the Euroleague, and being in a club like Real Madrid.”

“When I arrived at Real Madrid the goal was to enjoy the experience, try to win minutes, improve as a player on and off the court,” Campazzo recalled joining the storied club in 2014.

Besides making his way back to the team based in Spain’s capital, he also returned to Murcia through the Supercopa. The initial spell with Los Blancos included a loan spell to UCAM Murcia from 2015 to 2017.

“When I arrived at the UCAM I came to play and I left with friends, incredible moments,” he detailed the experience with Universitarios, “We could be in the history of the club. For me it is something special, I felt very welcomed by these people.”

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – Unicaja falling shy of a win against Real Madrid in the final of Supercopa Endesa did not significantly budge Dylan Osetkowski. The former Texas standout retains a firm belief in success later in the 2023-24 season.

“We proved that we can compete for 40 minutes with anybody,” he noted after the game on Sunday, “They got us today. But we are confident in ourselves and what we have.”

The Malaga outfit is set for the next editions of the Basketball Champions League at the continental level and Spain’s Liga Endesa at the domestic level. Most of the players from the 2022-23 squad stayed with Kameron Taylor coming in to replace departing Dario Brizuela.

“Kam is a phenomenal addition to our team,” Osetkowski commented on his new teammate.

Up next is Lenovo Tenerife to start the Liga Endesa Regular Season next Saturday.

Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League

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MURCIA, Spain – After respectively beating the hosts UCAM Murcia and Barcelona in yesterday’s semifinal, Unicaja Malaga and Real Madrid put on a show in front of the soldout crowd at Palacio de los Deportes. Avoiding the complete comeback by the former side, Chus Mateo’s team eventually won it all 88-81, bringing to the Spanish capital the 6th straight Supercopa Endesa.

Receiving another standing ovation from the audience in Murcia, Facundo Campazzo was once again crucial for the Blancos, delivering an all-around game of 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. Before the trophy’s celebration, the Argentinian playmaker was named MVP of the Supercopa Endesa for the third time in his career.

Scoreless in the semifinal against Barcelona, Mario Hezonja came to play in the final to finish with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Dzanan Musa joined the Argentinian and followed with 13 points, while Walter Tavares ended with the second straight double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“Very serious game until halftime, we know how to suffer. Those types of games aren’t going to gift you anything, we managed to come back into the game and make a difference. Everybody contributed positively to the game. I want to celebrate this tonight and then think about Zaragoza on Sunday”, Chus Mateo commented on the victory in the post-game press conference.

Kendrick Perry had an impressive start and finished it all by scoring 17 points with 5 assists. Despite going up against one of the most dominant centers in Europe Walter Tavares, Dylan Osetkowski delivered a convincing performance with 14 points and 4 rebounds, just like his frontcourt partner Will Thomas. The American guards Tyler Kalinoski and Tyson Carter also contributed by combining 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Being put by Chus Mateo in Real Madrid’s starting five to replace the injured Gabriel Deck, the 19-year-old Eli Ndiaye spent 1:53 minutes on the court. Talking about young talents, Ibon Navarro also decided to send on the court the 17-year-old Baba Badji, who became the fourth-ever player under 18 years of age to debut in the Supercopa Endesa.

Kendrick Perry started the game hot, scoring three consecutive three-pointers for Unicaja Malaga in less than four minutes. Mario Hezonja followed with seven points, but Real Madrid began by struggling at the charity stripe scoring only 2/9 already in the first quarter. This wasn’t enough for Ibon Navarro’s team to be ahead at the end of the opening period, trailing 21-17 following Yabusele’s impressive dunk.

As Chacho Rodriguez increased danger weapons from the perimeter, delivering magic assists to Vincent Poirier, Real Madrid found the largest lead of the game that far with seven points (28-21) after 2:40 minutes in the second. Facundo Campazzo first dished a magic assist to Dzanan Musa and then came up clutch with a 2+1 play to give his team the eleven-point lead (40-29) in the closing moments of the second quarter. At halftime, the Blancos were leading 44-31 with Unicaja shooting 3/16 from deep.

After Unicaja Malaga’s 4-0 run to open the second half, in fact, Real Madrid first responded with Mario Hezonja’s five consecutive points. Later on, Ibon Navarro’s team reduced the gap to six points (49-43) following a 12-5 run, as Kameron Taylor stepped up offensively exploiting his physical advantage. Will Thomas in the low-post first and Tyler Kalinoski coming off the screen with a three-pointer later managed to bring Unicaja tying the game at 54-54 with 1:44 minutes on the clock in the third, entering the last quarter down by five points (61-56) with Facundo Campazzo’s three from the corner.

Dylan Osetkowski with six straight points and Nihad Djedovic from downtown put Unicaja Malaga up front (65-64) once again with 7:59 minutes on the clock in the fourth. Banking in a three-pointer in transition, Sergio Llull gave Real Madrid another four-point lead (73-69) less than two minutes later, writing another little chapter in this final’s balanced plot. Vincent Poirier followed to force Ibon Navarro’s timeout at 5:23 left, and the exclamation mark came with the French center’s dunk in the last minute.

Before the game, the memory of the legendary Spanish journalist Pepe Domingo Castaño, who passed away at 80, was honored with a minute of silence. Moreover, during the encounter the newest UCAM Murcia guard Dylan Ennis came to enjoy the show, being welcomed by his people with MVP chants after dropping 14 points in his losing effort against Unicaja Malaga.

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain –  Unicaja defeated the host, UCAM Murcia, by a very tight 74-79 in which defense proved to be the key once again. Specifically, Ibon Navarro’s men managed to steal a total of 16 balls to set a new record in the Endesa Super Cup and make their way to the final.

This is the third-highest figure ever recorded in the tournament. Only Real Madrid (23) surpassed it in the inaugural match played almost 40 years ago, and Joventut (19) at the beginning of this century.

Nihad Djedovic not only got three steals but was also Unicaja’s offensive reference in the victory against UCAM Murcia. The Bosnian forward added 13 points and six rebounds.

“It was a tough game, especially now right after the World Cup where players are coming and without practicing with everybody. We found strength, we knew it would be tough“, said Djedovic in a quick interview with Eurohoops.

Djedovic praised also Canada’s bronze medalist Melvin Ejim for his performance with the team.

“Hats off to him for the performance and the way he switched after being in the World Cup, after all, games and emotions“.

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – In an incredible atmosphere created on the stands of the Palacio de los Deportes in Murcia, Unicaja Malaga managed to get an impressive 79-74 victory against the hosts UCAM, following on all their preseason victories.

The Andalucian team had a great contribution on both sides of the floor from Nihad Djedovic, who had a pretty good performance of 13 points and 6 rebounds. Playing the 3rd place final at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila with Canada less than a week ago, Melvin Ejim went close to a double-double with 9 points and 7 rebounds, while also adding 3 assists. Tyson Carter was also crucial with 12 points.

“We dominated for the majority of the game. We thought the game was over by 14 points but with UCAM Murcia you can never think about it. Credit to them and to their defense. With Osetkowski on the court, it’s a different game, and his three fouls conditioned it. With only one training and a half, Melvin Ejim was able to do something different tonight, something you don’t usually see on the statsheet”, Ibon Navarro commented following the victory.

The newcomers Ludde Hakanson and Dylan Ennis both had a good showing for Sito Alonso’s team in their official debut. The Swedish playmaker proved to have good chemistry with his countryman Simon Birgader, and ended with 10 points; the former Galatasaray guard, instead, finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Nemanja Radovic added 13 points – 10 of them in the third quarter – and 7 rebounds. Moussa Diagne provided 13 points and 4 rebounds.

“Many positive things all throughout the game. We have way more individual talent that we can’t really see if we don’t have order. Nemanja Djedovic was unbelievable. The key of the game has been the steals of the third and fourth quarters. The show the fans delivered tonight I never saw it before, they were 10/10”, Sito Alonso commented in the post-game press conference.

With only 4:41 minutes left in the first quarter, Dylan Osetkowski already had three fouls. UCAM Murcia stepped up in the last moments of the first quarter, but Tyler Kalinoski reduced the gap to 20-19 with a three-pointer off the screen. Entering the second with perfect equality (20-20), Unicaja Malaga had an 8-0 run which put Ibon Navarro’s team ahead 37-31 with 3:16 minutes until halftime, but the hosts bounced back to reduce the gap to four points (41-37) at the end of the second quarter.

Unicaja Malaga began the second half in the best way possible, going rapidly up 52-43 following Melvin Ejim’s thunderous dunk in fast-break. However, the home side bounced back once again with a 9-0 run, bringing the encounter to the equal side of things with 3:07 minutes until the final period. Tyson Carter led his team to the four-point lead (60-56) at the end of the third.

Alberto Diaz gave Unicaja a comfortable nine-point (65-56) lead with a three off the dribble at 8:33 on the clock in the fourth, while Tyson Carter followed with a clutch 2+1 layup. The former Zenit Saint Petersburg guard brought his team up 74-62 with 5:31 left. From then on, Unicaja Malaga never turned back, despite UCAM Murcia reducing the gap to three points in the last minute of the game. UCAM Murcia had the opportunity to tie the game with Dustin Sleva, but it just didn’t happen.

After battling this badly against the hosts of the Spanish competition, Unicaja Malaga will now face Real Madrid in the 2023 Supercopa Endesa final tomorrow at 19:00 CET. Chus Mateo’s team beat Barcelona 90-80 in the first semifinal of the day in Murcia.

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – The love between Real Madrid and the Supercopa Endesa seems more than ever a never-ending story. After winning the last five editions of the Spanish tournament in consecutive fashion, Chus Mateo’s team will have the opportunity to do it again in 2023 after beating Barcelona 90-80 in the semifinal played in Murcia.

Receiving a standing ovation from the audience in Murcia, where he played on loan from 2015 to 2017, Facundo Campazzo stole the show in his first game with Real Madrid after three years, when he moved to the NBA. The Argentinian playmaker ended with 17 points and 5 assists. His countryman Nicolas Laprovittola, instead, had 27 points with 5/9 from deep in the Catalan’s losing effort.

Other notable Real Madrid performances came from the hands of Dzanan Musa, who stepped up late to deliver 24 points in his team’s victory, and Walter Tavares, who had his first-double-double of the 2023-24 season with 13 points and 11 rebounds, also adding 3 steals and 4 blocks. Gabriel Deck also added 14 points.

“I’m very happy because I came here to play these kinds of games. He’s an unbelievable guy, he’s a very fast and smart guy. In terms of basketball I’m a scorer first, so having that kind of playmaker next to you makes it easier to play with. But credit to all the guys. This summer I worked a lot on my head, I’m prepared for everything that comes in the game”, the Bosnian player said after the victory.

On Roger Grimau’s side, the Argentinian point guard was the only one who ended the encounter in double digits except for Tomas Satoransky, who followed with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Jabari Parker and Willy Hernangomez combined only 6 points in their ACB debut for Barcelona.

“Dario Brizuela suffered a hit on the head and he couldn’t play for us later on. Laprovittola made a great effort tonight. Tavares dominated on the glass, and we will find solutions to get better and win”, the newest Catalan head coach said in the post-game press conference. “Dzanan [Musa] did a very great job for the game, especially on defense against Kalinic. We fought and everybody gave an extraordinary effort, we managed to react after an irregular start. I’d like Dario Brizuela to have a speedy recovery”, Chus Mateo added.

Real Madrid started the game slow, shooting 0/5 from the field until 6:24 on the clock when Dzanan Musa finished with a layup. From then on, the Blancos took back the momentum of the game, producing an 8-0 run. Nicolas Laprovittola helped the Catalan side close the first quarter up 25-22, contributing 16 points already. Sergio Rodriguez ended it with a clutch buzzer beater.

Continuing on a great note to enter the second, Barcelona found the highest lead of such a closed game (32-25) after Joel Parra banked in a three-pointer from the right corner. The first downtown shot by Facundo Campazzo since rejoining his historic team brought Real Madrid back to the two-point deficit (32-30) with 5:06 minutes before halftime, while his Argentinian teammate Gabriel Deck completed the comeback to contribute to a 9-0 run. Heading to the locker room, Real Madrid led 42-40.

Nicolas Laprovittola wasted no time in the third quarter, scoring from the corner in Barcelona’s first action on the court. The balance continued in the second half as well, with Dzanan Musa stepping up and scoring 10 straight points in less than six minutes. Facundo Campazzo continued his personal show and brought Real Madrid up by seven (65-58) with 1:26 minutes left until the last quarter.

Chus Mateo’s team continued rolling with a 15-3 run between the remaining two quarters, as Walter Tavares denied Willy Hernangomez twice and Dzanan Musa brought his team up by 15 points (81-66) from deep with 6:15 on the clock. Real Madrid will face the winner of the other semifinal between Unicaja Malaga and the host UCAM Murcia tomorrow at 19:00 CET.

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – Leaving Unicaja Malaga in the summer after four years in Andalucia, Dario Brizuela played his first Supercopa Endesa game with Barcelona in the semifinal against Real Madrid. However, his debut wasn’t what he expected.

The 28-year-old Spanish shooting guard, in fact, only spent 53 seconds on the court in the first quarter, entering with 2:36 minutes on the clock in the first quarter and being forced to leave it with 1:43 until the end of the opening ten minutes after being hit on the head unintentionally by Walter Tavares.

Returning to the Catalan bench without game equipment later on, according to Relevo he left the arena during halftime to go straight to Murcia’s Hospital de la Vega, undergoing medical checks. If Barcelona wins tonight, he won’t be part of Roger Grimau’s team for tomorrow’s final against the winner of the clash between Unicaja Malaga and UCAM Murcia.

#ÚltimaHora Relevo ha confirmado que Darío Brizuela se va al Hospital de la Vega para hacerse más pruebas por precaución.

En caso de que gane el Barça, no jugaría mañana la final.@sergiofernan5ez @noeliagomezm pic.twitter.com/CPXpxzcPCR

— Relevo (@relevo) September 16, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – In the semifinal of the Supercopa Endesa 2023 against Real Madrid, FC Barcelona will have on board the newcomer Jabari Parker, ready to play his first official minutes with the Catalan side after playing in the Catalan League a few days ago.

Talking to the media prior to the clash with the eternal rivals, Tomas Satoransky discussed his newest teammate’s status. “I know both him and Willy after having played with them respectively in the NBA and in Sevilla. I think they have caught the rhythm and they’re getting better day by day. Jabari’s situation is a little more complicated because it is his first year in Europe and this is always difficult, especially if you come in a league as competitive as the ACB. But I see him very well and he really wants to improve”, Barcelona’s point guard first commented.

Then, he went on to talk about the game against Real Madrid, which Walter Tavares described as “always the game of the year” for them. “It is another match against Madrid, which is always very successful and very difficult to play against. Even though it’s the beginning of the season, it’s something special for both sides, I guess. We have to have a little time to see where we are. Obviously, the style is different. Different philosophy. We can already see it in the matches of the Catalan League. We are in the process of knowing everything, so you have to be patient with the players who have arrived and all the changes we have made during the summer”, he also commented on Roger Grimau’s team.

One of his duties in today’s semifinal – scheduled at 18:30 CET – will be to guard the returning Facundo Campazzo. “He is a great player”, Tomas Satoransky first commented on the Argentinian playmaker. “The good thing about him in this situation is that he knows Madrid perfectly and it will not take anything to catch up or get used to the style. He is a great player who makes a difference in the matches”, the 31-year-old added.

Finally, he also went back to last year’s ACB Finals, where the Catalan side got the upper hand over Chus Mateo’s team. “It is clear that what happened at the end of the year gave us confidence, but in the new season, you start again and especially that the matches against them are very even. They decide a few things. You have to be very focused and try to play with that confidence that is very necessary against Real Madrid”, he stated in the end before heading to practice.

PHOTO CREDIT: ACB

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MURCIA, Spain – The 2023 FIBA World Cup is already in the history books, and the 2023-24 season is ahead of us. One of the first big appointments of the year comes from Murcia, where the Supercopa Endesa will put Real Madrid against FC Barcelona in the semifinal.

Talking ahead of the clash against the Catalan side, Walter Tavares spoke in the mixed zone of Murcia’s Palacio de los Deportes. “We really want to show that we are at the same level and that we can compete in all competitions, and the Supercopa is the first step we have to take. I really want to be here in Madrid again, to return to the normal routine, to play important games, win everything, and make our people happy, winning as many titles as possible”, the dominant center said.

Moving on to the opponents, who added both Willy Hernangomez and Jabari Parker among others, the 31-year-old player commented on Roger Grimau’s team. “Barcelona never loses strength, it’s a team that will always compete and fight. They win titles, they know how to win titles. It doesn’t matter how many or which players get out: they always have the same goal of competing and winning”, he said. “This will always be the game of the year for us”, Edy Tavares added.

The Caboverdian player also took some time to talk about what it meant to represent his country in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. “It’s very gratifying for us to be the smallest country to participate in the World Cup, playing our first game, and make history by winning at least one game in the World Cup, which is what we have achieved. We knew it was going to be difficult, with so many young people, with soldout crowds in every game. It was normal, but we understood how to do our best”, he also said.

“We have enjoyed the experience and if we have another opportunity it will be different, for sure”, Tavares pointed out before explaining how playing in Okinawa helped him get faster in shape. “The World Cup has helped me a lot to get in shape and be with the team, not start from the basics. That has helped me a lot to integrate very well with the team. I do not know if I arrived in my best form, but this is my first game with the team and we will see if everything goes well”, Real Madrid’s center finally stated.

Walter Tavares has already won five consecutive Supercopa Endesa with Real Madrid, being named MVP of the competition in 2022 by averaging 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 blocks, and 24.5 efficiency per game last year. The Blancos will face Barcelona today at 18:30 CET in the first semifinal of the 2023 Supercopa Endesa, while UCAM Murcia and Unicaja Malaga will play later on at 21:30 CET.

PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

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As officially announced by the Basque team, Ousmane Ndiaye will move on loan from Baskonia to Zunder Palencia, playing for the newcomers in the ACB during the 2023-24 season.

Playing with Baskonia’s LEB Plata representative team, the 19-year-old center player had 9.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season, earning the call from the newest ACB team.

The Senegalese center went close to averaging a double-double in the recent 2023 FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament with his national team, putting up 9.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in four appearances.

Ousmane Ndiaye jugará cedido en @ZunderPalencia

https://t.co/gvoTqijQ6r

Zorte on, Ousmane! pic.twitter.com/Fab40swRni

— Baskonia (@Baskonia) September 14, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: 2023 FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament

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