El Chacho received Real Madrid’s ticket to the final four of the Euroleague (98-94)

starry Sergio Chacho Rodriguez showed up in the fourth quarter and led Real Madrid to victory, 98-94 against Partisan, after they overcame a deficit of 18 points and qualified for the Final Four in Kaunas.

Madrid went down in history as the first team in 17 rounds to be decided in the fifth game, including those against Olympiacos and Monaco, who overcame an unfavorable start 2-0 on their home field.

The two teams came out with clear ideas and knowing what was at stake. Adam Hanga He was the shadow of Kevin Punter, and in Partizan everything was against Edy Tavares as soon as he received the ball.

The defenses overpowered the attacks, and three-pointers were noticeably lacking, 0 of 2 for Madrid and 1 of 5 for Partizán. Ely Ndiaye, one of Chus Mate’s surprises in the starting quintet, fought energetically and more than fulfilled.

But everything went wrong in the 7.30 minute, when Tavares was whistled for the second personal foul. At the end of the first quarter, the score was almost absolutely tied at 22-23.

In the second act, Punter, two three-pointers without a mistake at the beginning and another one at the end, and James Nunnally were the stars of Partizan, who, in the absence of Tavares, destroyed Real Madrid without options.

A partial second quarter is a perfect indicator of what happened, 17-32. If we add to that 6 out of 7 triples by Serbian national team players, for only 1 out of 7 for Madrid, 39-55 with which they reached halftime, I couldn’t miss anyone.

Madrid’s zone defense as a specific resource is correct, but the team’s luck cannot be based on this tactic. Tavares barely managed to spend 2.30 minutes on the track when he was whistled by suspicious personnel, who unleashed the fury of Mateo, who was penalized with a technicality.

Nigel Williams-Goss directed successfully and Dzanan Musa broke into the opposition zone with more pain than glory, but it was the 6.75m’s lack of aim from the arc that most punished Real Madrid, who paled in line with the reality of their limitations . imposing himself on the traffic light.

Madrid came out again in zone defense, and Punter punished it with another three-pointer and increased the advantage to 18 points, 41-59 (m.22).

At the halfway point of the match, the only hero left as a solution was Musa and Mario Hezonja, 46-59 (m.23.30). Assisted three by Hanga, 51-61 (m.24.30). Mathias Lessorto’s fourth at bat was another small silver lining at this point, immediately answered by Tavares’ fourth.

Another retreat by Partizan, another three-pointer, now by Zach Leday, and the score increases again for the Serbs, 56-72 (m.26.30).

However, Madrid continued without throwing in the towel, and with Sergio Rodríguez’s three-pointer, the difference after a long time was reduced to single digits, 66-75. And three 3-pointers that Musa converted on Dante Exum’s foul on Rudy Fernández, who was injured, made it 69-76 at the end of the third period.

With 7 points behind, Madrid saw a glimmer of hope in the last ten minutes. More when a chachojugada squeezed the result even more 71-76.

El Chacho, the real protagonist at the beginning of the last quarter, ignited the spark that was missing in the game to merge epic and heroic, although it must be admitted that Hezonja’s three-pointer 79-81 (m. 33) helped a lot. And of course, El Chacho — it couldn’t have been second — who tied the game at 81 with 6.16 minutes left.

Madrid went 18 points behind before the delirium in the stands, although they were still a world ahead.

Sergio Llull, who was diffuse, scored a three-pointer that put Real Madrid back in blue numbers, and then counterattacked for 88-83. Hezonja increased the score to 91-86 with another three-pointer, and Partizan’s legs began to shake. Another 3-pointer by Llull at the edge of the possession, the score was 95-87 with 2.27 minutes left.

Madrid, experienced in a thousand tight finals, did not miss the opportunity and won the game 98-94, wrote history and qualified for the Final Four. El Chacho took out the tickets to Kaunas.