Real Madrid once again dominates a Super Cup Classic

Dzanan Musa and Facundo Campazzo broke the semi-final against Barça after an even first half

MURCIA, 16 (from Europa Press Special Envoy, Ramón Chamorro)

Real Madrid became the first finalist of the 2023 Endesa Super Cup that is being played at the Palacio de los Deportes in Murcia after clearly winning 80-90 against Barça this Saturday, after a second half that they dominated with authority and led by Dzanan Musa.

After an even first 20 minutes (40-42), the European champion grew in the match and appeared more solid on both sides of the court, thanks above all to the success of the Bosnian forward, who scored 22 of his 24 points after the break. He and Facundo Campazzo (17 points, 10 in the third quarter) broke the duel in favor of the Madrid team that confirmed once again that it is good at this tournament, where it is the 'king' and where it will play its sixth consecutive final.

The 'new' Barça of Roger Grimau tried to compete, but could not stop the rival offensive in the second half, where they could not with Walter Tavares once again decisive in both hoops with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, one of them spectacular Willy Hernangómez who debuted with a gray game (2 points, 0/6 in shooting). The Endesa League champion resisted with Nicolás Laprovittola (27 points), but as soon as he lost his way from the triple, he could not stay engaged in the game due to his weakness on the inside against the Cape Verdean.

The Classic started with a lot of rhythm and little success, although as the minutes passed it improved. Roger Grimau and Chus Mateo opted to maintain the intensity and before the end of the first quarter, 21 of the 24 players had already participated, all except Rudy Fernández, Sergio Llull and James Nnaji.

And the first ten minutes were starred by Laprovittola, impeccable and absolute leader of his team. The Argentine point guard won the game against Facundo Campazzo and scored 16 of the Endesa League champion's first 20 points. The reply was given by his compatriot Gaby Deck, always causing damage in his penetrations and who responded with 8.

With continuous alternatives on the scoreboard and some scares, such as the cut that Darío Brizuela got on the head in a foul by Walter Tavares and which left him out of the game, Barça's fourth triple (Abrines) gave them their first advantage (25 -19), aborted by a triple on the horn of 'Chacho' Rodríguez.

The Catalan team continued in its line of success and tried to open a gap again against a European champion who was missing them. Chus Mateo, after a triple by Joel Parra (32-25), had to stop a game, which had already been briefly interrupted due to a lighting problem at the Palacio de los Deportes in Murcia.

Campazzo and Deck launched the Madrid response in attack and Rudy Fernández led the rise of the defensive tone to regain command with a run of 5-17. Roger Grimau's men, with Laprovittola less effervescent and losing control of the rebound (17 to 22, 8 in attack), managed to withstand this rival attack before the break (40-42) thanks to his ninth triple of ten attempts, his best weapon in this first act.

MUSA AND CAMPAZZO APPEAR

After passing through the locker room, Real Madrid grabbed the in tune Musa and Campazzo, who did a lot of damage to the Blaugrana defense with their aggressive penetrations. First was the Bosnian forward, who scored 11 points to keep his team with the initiative on the scoreboard against a Barça that resisted despite lowering its level of external accuracy.

The Blaugrana team made up for that deficit with the offensive rebound (8), but in the final stretch it was not worth it due to their errors in attack, with Tavares making an ill-advised Willy Hernangómez bitter. Campazzo took the reins in attack with 10 points and the European champion reached the final ten minutes with an optimal advantage (59-67) and better feelings on the court.

These were maintained at the beginning of the last quarter. Real Madrid went above ten and Musa, with his first triple, opened an already dangerous lead, although there was still a lot to play for (61-73). The Balkan was launched and refined from the outside to break the game, while Tavares built a 'wall' in his zone. Roger Grimau's team could not close the 'wound' (66-83) and said goodbye to the first title of the season.

DATASHEET.

--RESULT: BARÇA, 80 - REAL MADRID, 90 (40-42, at half-time).

--EQUIPMENT.

BARÇA: Laprovittola (27), Satoransky (14), Kalinic (7), Da Silva (5) and Vesely (7) --starting quintet-- Parker (4), Abrines (8), Jokubaitis (2), Brizuela ( -), Kalinic (7), Hernangómez (2), Parra (3).

REAL MADRID: Campazzo (17), Abalde (2), Musa (24), Deck (14) and Poirier (7) -- the starting quintet -- Causeur (-), Yabusele (1), Tavares (13), Rudy Fernandez (7), Sergio Rodriguez (3), Hezonja (-) and Llull (2).

--PARTIALS: 25-22, 15-20, 19-25 and 21-23.

-- REFEREES: Jiménez, Serrano and Sánchez Cutillas. no deleted

--PAVILLION: Sports Palace of Murcia.