2014-15Final FourSEMIFINAL A
Real Madrid 96
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul 87
May 15, 2015 CET: 21:00
Local time: 21:00 BARCLAYCARD CENTER

Real Madrid heads to third straight final after beating Fenerbahce

Real Madrid dominated the second quarter and then held on the rest of the way for a 96-87 victory over Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul in the second semifinal at the 2015 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four at Barclaycard Center in Madrid. Los Blancos will face Olympiacos Piraeus in Sunday’s championship game, which is also a rematch of the 2013 final, which Olympiacos won in London. Gustavo Ayon starred for the winners with a season-high 18 points plus 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. K.C. Rivers added 17 points on 5of-6 three-point shooting; Madrid’s 14 three-pointers tied a Final Four record! Sergio Rodriguez tallied 13 points and 7 assists, Sergio Llull scored 12 and dished 9 assists and Andres Nocioni and Rudy Fernandez also scored 12 apiece. Andrew Goudelock racked up 26 points to lead Fenerbahce, which played its first ever Final Four game. Jan Vesely recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds, Rising Star Award winner Bogdan Bogdanovic added 12 and freshly crowned Euroleague MVP Nemanja Bjelica scored 11 before fouling out. He was one of five players that fouled out in what was a very physical game. Things were close early as the first quarter featured eight lead changes. But a 14-2 run to start the second quarter put Madrid in control. After back-to-back threes by Llull and Rudy to start the second half made it 61-35, Madrid cruised. Fenerbahce did not quit and closed the gap to 10 with two minutes remaining, but ran out of time to seriously threaten.

First quarter: Early buzzer beaters promise drama

Both teams missed their first shots; Luka Zoric got Fenerbahce on the scoreboard first with a layup 90 seconds into the contest. After a pair of offensive rebounds for Madrid, Llull broke the ice for Madrid. Vesely displayed his acrobatics with a drive and layup and Zoric added a jumper. Ayon scored and then drew an offensive foul from Zoric, who took a seat on the bench. A second foul on Kenan Sipahi also sent him to the bench with Nikos Zisis coming on. Rudy tied the game at 6-6 with 2 free throws. After Goudelock scored, Rudy put Madrid ahead with a triple. Then Jaycee Carroll added a foul-line jumper. Oguz Savas made free throws and after a TV timeout, Jan Vesely’s put-back slam brought the Fenerbahce faithful to their feet. But Rodriguez answered with a three to beat the shot-clock buzzer for a 14-12 lead. Bogdanovic countered with a triple, but Ayon scored again and Rodriguez converted on the break. However Fenerbahce was right back through Vesely, who netted 2 free throws and took a pass from Bjelica for a thunder slam. Nocioni found a hole in the Fenerbahce defense and exploited it for a layup. An Emir Preldzic buzzer-beating jumper gave Fenerbahce a 20-21 lead after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: 14-2 surge puts Madrid in control

Nocioni made his presence felt with a three-point play and an assist to Ayon for another score inside. An Ayon tip-in made it 7 straight Madrid points to start the quarter. Fenerbahce called timeout, but Madrid hands in the passing lanes led to another steal, an Ayon layup and an 8-point lead. Zisis found Vesely for another slam, however Ayon kept the momentum with Los Blancos as he scored on the offensive glass again and Rodriguez found Rivers for a three that beat the 24-second clock and gave his team a 34-23 lead. Goudelock sank 2 free throws only to see Ayon put his seventh basket in. Goudelock replied with a basket-and-foul, but Madrid wasn’t slowing down. Nocioni and Rivers netted back-to-back threes for a 15-point advantage midway through the quarter. Bjelic split free throws – the first point for the Euroleague MVP – but Jonas Maciulis bettered him with a long jumper. Bjelica looked to get going with a three from the wing, but Rodriguez matched him. Bjelica got to the line again, but only made 1 shot. Rivers added 2 more threes for a 53-32 difference. Vesely threw down another wicked dunk and Ayon and Vesely each made free throws as Madrid went to the locker rooms with a healthy 55-35 lead.

Third quarter: Fener fights back with 2-11 spurt

Fenerbahce’s hopes of a comeback suffered a slow when Llull and Rudy opened the second half with back-to-back threes. Goudelock answered with a three, but Carroll nailed another for Madrid. After Zoric scored at one end, he engaged in some pushing and shoving with Rudy at the other end, which resulted in double technicals. Ayon committed his third foul and received a warm ovation on his way to the bench. Vesely added free throws and Goudelock used a pretty move to get a baseline layup. Marcus Slaughter sank free throws, but Bogdanovic brought Fenerbahce back to within 20 with his second three-pointer. Bogdanovic added free throws to cap a 2-11 run that close the gap to 66-48. Melih Mahutoglu connected on his first three and after a timeout. Then Bjelica got to the line and gave his team hope by getting the deficit down to 14. Llull came back with a steal and 2 free throws, but Vesely dunked again at the other end. Rivers free throws were cancelled by Zisis’s mid-range jumper. Rodriguez hit a three and assisted Ayon as the Madrid lead moved back towards 20. After a Bogdanovic basket and an impressive Nocioni rejection of Goudelock, the score stood at 76-59.

Fourth quarter: Late Fenerbahce rally falls short

Rivers looked to ice the game with his fifth three of the night. Goudelock continued getting to the rim and scored via goaltending. Nocioni restored a 20-point Madrid advantage and the crowd applauded Ayon when he saved a loose ball. Bogdanovic made free throws, then Bjelica made free throws and a layup, but the MVP fouled out with a technical foul. Carroll made the free throw and Preldzic’s unsportsmanlike foul on Nocioni and following technical foul helped extend the difference to 84-67 after Nocioni a free throw each by Nocioni and Carroll. Goudelock countered with a layup and foul. Then Vesely split free throws after Felipe Reyes fouled out. Goudelock cut the gap to 12, but Llull responded with a three. Ayon was next to foul out in this physical fourth quarter. Vesely sank 2 free throws, but Llull buried a shot over Mahmutoglu. Goudelock connected on his first three to make it 89-77 with three minutes remaining. Ioannis Bourousis scored his first point with a free throw for Madrid. Goudelock gave Fenerbahce hope with another tough shot. And after a pair of Rodriguez free throws, Mahmutoglu’s triple made it 92-82. Rudy connected on 4 free throws on the next two Madrid possessions to ice the game.

Real Madrid celebrates - Final Four Madrid 2015 - EB14
Friday, May 15, 2015
Euroleague.net
Referees: CHRISTODOULOU, CHRISTOS; PUKL,SASA; LOTTERMOSER, ROBERT
Attendance: 12634
By Quarter1234
Real Madrid20352120
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul21142428
End of Quarter1234
Real Madrid20557696
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul21355987
Real Madrid
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
4 RIVERS, KC 21:39 17   5/6 2/2 1 1 2   2       1 2 21
5 FERNANDEZ, RUDY 22:07 12 0/2 2/6 6/6 2 2 4 1   1     4 5 11
6 NOCIONI, ANDRES 26:52 12 3/4 1/3 3/5 1 5 6 1     1 1 3 7 18
7 CAMPAZZO, FACUNDO DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8 MACIULIS, JONAS 6:34 2 1/1 0/1                   3   -2
9 REYES, FELIPE 12:16   0/2                     5 1 -6
13 RODRIGUEZ, SERGIO 27:39 13 1/3 3/6 2/2       7   1     1 1 14
14 AYON, GUSTAVO 26:47 18 8/11   2/2 3 4 7 6 3     1 5 5 30
20 CARROLL, JAYCEE 12:05 7 1/4 1/4 2/2   1 1         1   1 2
23 LLULL, SERGIO 31:01 12 2/6 2/4 2/2 1 1 2 9 1 1     3 2 16
30 BOUROUSIS, IOANNIS 3:56 1 0/1   1/2                   1  
44 SLAUGHTER, MARCUS 9:04 2     2/4   2 2   1 1     5 3  
Team           3 3 6               6
Totals 200:00 96 16/34 14/30 22/27 11 19 30 24 7 4 1 3 30 28 110
        47.1% 46.7% 81.5%
Head coach: LASO, PABLO
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
0 GOUDELOCK, ANDREW 34:03 26 9/11 2/6 2/4 1 5 6 4   1   1 1 4 29
1 ZISIS, NIKOS 19:05 2 1/4           2   1     2 1 -1
8 BJELICA, NEMANJA 21:24 11 1/4 1/2 6/8 1 4 5 2 1 4 1   5 7 12
9 ERDEN, SEMIH 1:36   0/1     1   1           1 1  
10 MAHMUTOGLU, MELIH 17:02 6   2/4   1 3 4 1         2   7
13 BOGDANOVIC, BOGDAN 35:43 12 1/3 2/5 4/4   3 3 4   2 1   4 4 13
15 CETIN, SERHAT DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
21 SAVAS, OGUZ 4:20 2     2/2 1   1     1       1 3
22 ZORIC, LUKA 6:22 6 3/4       1 1     1 1   3 2 5
24 VESELY, JAN 36:54 20 6/8   8/10 1 5 6 2 1       4 10 31
25 SIPAHI, KENAN 6:08           1 1     1     3   -3
55 PRELDZIC, EMIR 17:23 2 1/1 0/1   1 1 2 2   2     5   -2
Team           2 2 4               4
Totals 200:00 87 22/36 7/18 22/28 9 25 34 17 2 13 3 1 30 30 98
        61.1% 38.9% 78.6%
Head coach: OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO

Head Coaches

LASO, PABLO
Real Madrid

"It was a very hard game from the beginning, like we expected. I think we matched up very good defensively. In the second quarter we opened up the game really good and passed the ball."

"We had a big lead at the half, but it was very dangerous. In the second half, we knew that something was going to happen, something was going to change. We were able to control the emotions, move the ball and get a big victory against a great team. I know Zeljko Obradovic and I knew they would fight until they end. I am very happy to be in this position again."

"We prepared for the pick and roll, knowing how important it would be to defend the pick-and-roll and what would happen after the pick-and-roll. Only in the last quarter they were able to hit some open jumpers."

"There are changes, but I don’t want to think about the past. It will be difficult. It will be a great game against a great team, but I don’t want to say who will be favorite. As a coach, I don’t want to think of like revenge."

"I have said a lot of times, pressure is a relative thing, and we have a very big motivation. It’s a big right to be in the final. Like a coach, I don’t like to watch my work being viewed in one game."

"The most important thing about Spanoulis is his character. He wasn’t effective in the first half today. But his confidence, his talent is what he transmits to the team. We know how important Spanoulis is, but Printezis won it a couple of years ago."

OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul

"I believe they played an excellent game tonight. I am really proud of my team to make it to the Final Four for the first time in history of the club. It’s obvious we lost the game in the second quarter. We didn’t have an answer. Any kind of defense they punished us."

"I was proud of the reaction, but it was too hard to recover from the second quarter.
This will help us in the future. And I hope Fenerbahce comes to the Final Four again in the future."

"Real Madrid is a really aggressive team and we tried to prepare for that. They played the game how they played the whole season. They play together for the fourth year, it’s a big advantage. They know how to play with each other."

"I talked all these days that we really need to play well to have a chance to beat Real Madrid."

"All the best to Pablo and Real Madrid."

Players

FERNANDEZ, RUDY
Real Madrid
"We have to be cautious and know that we always played at a great level in the semifinals, but lacked that plus to be able to win the title. It is true that being able to reach three consecutive Euroleague finals deserves a lot of credit and I hope we can win in front of our fans and enjoy this moment. I am feeling fine. We know the kind of player Spanoulis is and we are not surprised, at least I am not; he is one of the best players in Europe. I am sure we have to focus on him, but the entire team does an amazing job; Printezis is playing well and they have mobile big men that can be difficult to guard. Fenerbahce tried to make the game more physical in the second half and that allowed them to get a bit closer. We continued with a good, positive dynamic, chose the best shots, and managed to keep our important lead."
RODRIGUEZ, SERGIO
Real Madrid
"Fenerbahce is a great team and this is why they are here but our second quarter surprised them. We played very good defense, with a lot of intensity, and really inspired on offense. We tried to keep the game tempo, but they are a talented team and got closer. They have long, athletic players; Vesely played a lot of minutes tonight and it is very difficult to play against him. We have to think about Olympiacos, a great team, much more than Spanoulis. He is their leader and the best player in Europe right now, but Olympiacos is also a great team with the best defense in the competition. They have a deep bench and everyone contributes."
NOCIONI, ANDRES
Real Madrid
"I tried to do things as well as I could for my team, sometimes you do it right, sometimes you don't. The second quarter really was the key to this game. We did things really well to get a big lead and managed to keep it. It allowed us to play the kind of game we wanted to play. We relaxed a bit in the second half, but luckily, the lead we got in the second quarter prevailed."
AYON, GUSTAVO
Real Madrid
"It was a great win for us and that is the most important thing. We knew we have to play with that intensity if we wanted to win and in the end, we are happy because we won. They played really well and I am happy with the work we did on the court. Defense was the biggest key to this game. We had a good game on defense, rebounded the well really well all game long. The final against Olympiacos will be a very, very tough game. It will make things really difficult for us. We have to be focused from the first minute and I hope we will end up winning it."
BOUROUSIS, IOANNIS
Real Madrid
"I think that the key to this game was going inside from the first second. We had great respect for Fenerbahce and played very good defense. We scored a lot of three-point shots in the second quarter, played great defense and won the game. I am looking forward to the final against my former team, Olympiacos, even when right now I am not thinking of this game. The game is on Sunday night and we will have time to think about them. Everybody is professional and played consecutive games with their national teams, so everybody will be physically really for this game."
GOUDELOCK, ANDREW
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
"They ran a break, they hit some threes. Madrid shot 28 to 30 threes a game and in the second quarter it seemed like they were making every three. Everything. They were playing harder than us. In the second quarter they gave us a knockout punch. It was tough to come back when you are down by 20 to a team at home. I take pride in the way we played at the end. We could have easily given up, just let the game get in our head. But we did a good job of fighting back, played a little more dirty like them, not giving up. That was a good sign."
ZISIS, NIKOS
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
"I think Real Madrid played an excellent game. For sure we have a lot to do with this because we were not tough enough, especially in the first half, actually until the 23rd or 24th minute. And then it was late. Madrid was on the home court, and when you let them play in their rhythm I believe they have the best offense in Europe. And we let them do it. In a knockout game, the semifinals of the Final Four, when you let them play their game and feel comfortable, they make runs. They have many players that can score, and they played tougher than us, and that is what makes us mad about it. We were not ourselves in the first half. Coach told us at halftime to show heart and character. I think the team fought, even when sometimes we went out of the line, but I think the team tried to show heart, not to give up, and that's what we did in the last 15 minutes of the game."
BOGDANOVIC, BOGDAN
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
"We allowed too many points in the second quarter. They won it 35-14. We let them run fast breaks and score buckets that way they like to play. They also beat the buzzer on a few shots and that second quarter they shot fantastic. We fought until the end, and I am proud of my teammates for fighting and never giving up."
BJELICA, NEMANJA
Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul
"This Final Four is a lesson. A lot of our players played here for the first time, and ran into this type of basketball. I congratulate Madrid, but this is our lesson. I am sorry it ended this way and we reacted the way we did. We can be proud we showed character. But I'm disappointed we did not adjust to Madrid's style of play. I want to thank our fans for their great support. We have one more game to play against CSKA and to try to win it."