Real Madrid top Barcelona in El Clasico

The Spanish Liga Endesa Regular Season is drawing to a close, but there is still plenty to play for. Especially pride when we are discussing El Clasico, the clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two juggernauts of Spanish hoops.

While neither club is having a vintage campaign, Real Madrid is out of the Euroleague and Barca is fighting on all fronts, both are all but guaranteed a place in the Liga Endesa playoffs. Top ranked Barcelona could not enhance its credentials for Regular Season champions as Real Madrid came away from Catalonia with an 86-91 win.

It was a morale booster for a Madrid side that was spanked in a clean sweep by Fenerbahce in the Euroleague quarter-final. If nothing else a Los Blancos (third in the standings) team struggling this term showed it can defeat its closest rival when the knock-out ball starts when the Regular Season ends. As for Barcelona, possibly distracted by its Euroleague decider against Lokomotiv, the club remains top with a 25-3 record.

Barcelona started the better team as scored 26 points in the first quarter to lead 26-17 through ten minutes. The hosts repeated the haul in the second frame, but this time Madrid kept pace and the scoreboard read 52-43 through the long break. The visitors from the Spanish capital started to turn the tide in the third act, but still only clawed a point back … 71-63 after thirty minutes. The momentum had changed and Real Madrid drained 28 points in the fourth quarter and stopped Barca at 15 to win the game.

Trey Thompkins inspired Los Blancos with 25 points and 7 rebounds, while Sergio Rodriguez added 15 points. Jaycee Carroll and Jonas Maciulis shared 24 points with 12 apiece.

Ant Tomic topped Barcelona with 19 points and 12 rebounds as the team faded with a clear eye on Tuesday and the Euroleague. Justin Doellman added 16 points and Alex Abrines 13 points.