Real Madrid won its first game of the Nike International Junior Tournament L’Hospitalet on Friday evening, defeating a Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv side that rallied in the final quarter. The game ended 74-80, after Madrid had been 19 points up at halftime. Valter Lindstron hit 23 points for the winning side, while 12-point Jonathan Kasibau was the only other Madrid player to break into double digits. Idan Zalmanson was Maccabi’s best shooter, with 15 points.

A storming start –including a buzzer beating triple from Madrid’s Jonathan Barreiro- put the Spanish side into a comfortable 9-point lead at the end of a high scoring first quarter. It was in the second period that Madrid really set out its intentions, scoring 22 points and keeping Maccabi to just 12 in a showcase of solid defense. That put the score at 33-52 by halftime –a huge mountain to climb for Maccabi. The Israeli team looked to have found a way back into the game when it cut the advantage to 50-64 in the third quarter, but even a flurry of baskets at the end of the final period was insufficient for it to draw level with Madrid. Holding on for a tight 74-80 victory, Madrid moves to 1-1 in the NIJT L’Hospitalet competition.