ACB Liga Endesa: home comforts as quarters open
We are on the road to the 2017 Spanish ACB Liga Endesa title as knockout Basketball has come to Europe’s biggest league. The Quarter-finals of the Liga Endesa threw up plenty of interesting clashes and talking points as they kicked off on Thursday. Each of the remaining eight clubs will play best of three runs to determine who reaches the last four.
Interestingly, it was an evening of home comforts as all teams with the advantage of their own floor managed to make wins.
Real Madrid vs. Andorra, 107-76
Real Madrid, fresh from being bombed out of the EuroLeague title picture by Fenerbahce and then dumped to fourth by CSKA Moscow, destroyed Andorra. Call this revenge for the final game of the Regular Season (where Andorra pushed to OT) and a statement from a Los Blancos team hurting from the EuroLeague but still in the hunt of a successful season.
Madrid has won the Spanish Cup, topped the ACB Liga Endesa Regular Season, and is favourite for the title. Here the club showed why with a massive home win over Andorra. Madrid controlled the game throughout, breaking 50 points in each half.
Jaycee Carroll scored 16 points in the win, followed by Anthony Randolph with 14 points and Othello Hunter with 13 points.
Giorgi Shermadini paced Andorra with a game high 21 points, while Thanasis Antetokounmpo scored 16 points.
Unicaja Malaga vs. Iberostar Tenerife, 79-65
A very exciting Play-Offs clash between the EuroCup champs Malaga against FIBA Champions League winners Tenerife went in favour of Unicaja Malaga. The cruising home win saw the south coast club took a 19-17 lead in the first quarter and then extended with a 25-17 second frame to make it 44-34 through the long break. Tenerife hit back with a 13-20 third act to make it 57-54 through thirty minutes. The hosts regained the momentum in the fourth quarter, using a 22-11 run to ease to victory.
Christian Eyenga dropped 21 points in the win, while Carlos Suarez secured 14 points and Nemanja Nedovic added 12 points.
Tariq Kirksay topped the losing effort with 16 points and Aaron Doornekamp scored 15 points.
Baskonia Vitoria vs. Herbalife Gran Canaria, 71-59
Baskonia dominated Gran Canaria at home to take a 1-0 series lead. The hosts controlled the first act with a 17-7 run that opened a double digit lead early on. The visitors won the second frame 17-21 to make it 34-28 at halftime. The Vitoria contingent edged a low scoring third quarter 12-10 for a 46-38 lead at the final split. In the fourth act, the hosts drained 25 points on the way to a victory in the ACB Liga Endesa last eight.
Adam Hanga was hot for the hosts with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Tornike Shengelia secured 13 points and 7 boards.
Valencia vs. Barcelona, 83-61
Some Barcelona fans can cling to the league as a possible way to redeem what has been an awful season. A terrible EuroLeague campaign and an uninspired Regular Season has meant Barca suffered its worst season in years. It is also looking very likely that the team is not a threat on the league title this season.
Valencia dominated the Catalan giant for a 1-0 series lead. The EuroCup finalists stayed solid in offence through the middle quarters. Opening with a 15-15 quarter, Valencia soon took charge in the second act with a 26-11 frame that made it 41-26 through the long break. The hosts held the momentum in the third, using a 22-15 run to make it 63-41 through thirty minutes. The game was beyond Barcelona as Valencia eased to victory in the fourth.
Bojan Dubljevic topped the scoring for Valencia with 16 points, while Pierre Oriola and Rafael Martinez scored 11 points apiece.
Tyrese Rice led Barcelona with 14 points.