2002-03Regular SeasonRound 4
October 31, 2002 CET: 00:00
Local time: 00:00 PABELLON RAIMUNDO SAPORTA

Real Madrid broke its negative streak at home on Thursday, as 4 three-pointers in barely 2 minutes sealed its Group A victory over visiting Ulker Istanbul, 81-77. The win raises Real's record to 2-2 in Group C, while Ulker drops to the same numbers. Alex Mumbru, who made his debut in the Euroleague, was the best man for the hosts with 16 points, while Alain Digbeu added 13 and Derrick Alston 12. For the losers, Melvin Booker nailed 22, Joseph Blait bagged 15 and Harun Erdenay 13.

Ulker showed signs of its options for the win early in the game. With Joe Blair blocked by the defense of Edu Hernandez, the Turkish had to move on to the backcourt game to stop the initial burst of the hosts, 8-3, and take control of the game. Booker, who had only featured a 31 percent in threes in the three previous games, nailed 3 straight three-pointers in barely 2 minutes to change the sign of the game, 8-15 in minute 6. The entrance of Digbeu on court and the efficiency of Alberto Herreros allowed Madrid to finish the first quarter with a short lead, 23-21.

But Ulker knew what it was doing. Its shooters, apart from making their score grow, opened a hole for Blair in the paint, and he took advantage of it. At the break the Turkish team was already ahead by 6 points, 37-43.

Nevertheless, the third quarter wasn't what Ulker expected. The hosts increased their defensive tension and from there, they doubled their offensive options to overcome a dangerous deficit, 39-47 in minute 22, and cluding Ulker's mind, which only managed to score 8 points in the period, 54-51 after 30 minutes

The reaction of the Turkish squad was around the corner though, to the point that by minute 34, the guests were ahead again, 60-62, and Real got nervous. Nevertheless, those nerves were also positive for the hosts, as two threes by Mumbru, a third by Herreros and a fourth by Lucas Victoriano smashed all the options of the rival and boosted Real to its first home win in the Euroleague.

Thursday, October 31, 2002
Jorge Muñoa, Madrid
No results found.
Referees: BRAZAUSKAS, ROMUALDAS; LAMONICA, LUIGI; LOVSIN, ANDREJ
Attendance: 4300
By Quarter1234
Real Madrid23141727
Ulker2122826
End of Quarter1234
Real Madrid23375481
Ulker21435177
Real Madrid
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
4 MENA, RAUL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5 HAWKINS, MICHAEL 16:00     0/3     1 1 2   2   1 2 1 -4
6 ALSTON, DERRICK 33:00 12 6/11     3 4 7 2 2 3     1 2 16
7 ANGULO, LUCIO 14:00 6 1/6 1/1 1/1 1 3 4 2 2 1   1 2 2 7
8 VICTORIANO, LUCAS 23:00 5 0/2 1/6 2/2 1 2 3 5 1 3     3 4 5
9 DIGBEU, ALAIN 25:00 13 0/1 3/6 4/4       2 1       1 6 17
11 HERREROS, ALBERTO 29:00 11 4/7 1/4   4 2 6         1 2 1 9
13 LAMPE, MACIEJ 11:00 8 3/3 0/1 2/2 2 1 3     1       1 10
15 MUMBRU, ALEX 17:00 16 0/2 5/8 1/2 1 2 3 1 1     1 2 2 14
16 HERNANDEZ-SONSECA, EDU 32:00 10 5/7   0/3 3 8 11   2 1 3   2 3 21
17 NADEAU, SAMUEL DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Team           1 4 5     1         4
Totals 200:00 81 19/39 11/29 10/14 16 27 43 14 9 12 3 4 15 22 99
        48.7% 37.9% 71.4%
Head coach: IMBRODA, JAVIER
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
Ulker
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
4 ERDOGAN, SERKAN 19:00 12 1/2 3/6 1/2         1       3 1 6
5 BOOKER, MELVIN 35:00 22 4/7 4/9 2/4   3 3 1 4 2     3 4 19
6 ABI, MUSTAFA DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
7 PACHULIA, ZAZA 6:00 1 0/1   1/2 1   1           1 1  
8 GOLJOVIC, MILJAN 18:00 2 1/1     1 1 2           1   3
9 GULER, MURATCAN 22:00 13 2/2 3/8         1 1 2 1   3 1 7
10 BLAIR, JOSEPH 33:00 15 5/11   5/6 5 7 12     4 1 3 3 3 14
11 ACIK, TUTKU 7:00                         1   -1
12 GONLUM, KEREM 12:00 4 2/2     1 4 5   1 2 1   1 1 9
13 SOLAK, FATIH DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
14 YILDIRIM, HALUK 21:00 2 1/1 0/2         2 2       3 1 2
15 PRASKEVICIUS, VIRGINIJUS 27:00 6 3/5 0/5 0/1   3 3 2     1   3 3 4
Team             4 4   1           5
Totals 200:00 77 19/32 10/30 9/15 8 22 30 6 10 10 4 3 22 15 68
        59.4% 33.3% 60%
Head coach: ONGOREN, MEVLUT
This game has no play by play yet

Head Coaches

IMBRODA, JAVIER
Real Madrid
"We faced the game like another challenge, despite what was behind it for our options. It looked like we were a good team only on Saturdays, and not on Thursdays. This win has shown us that we can take a step forward, and despite the difficulties we took the win. In the third quarter we had a big reaction, and we played well in the fourth. Ulker's zone caused us problems, but we forced them to play our rhythm with four small men, and we forced them to open our defense, which was the key to our win."
ONGOREN, MEVLUT
Ulker
"Congratulations to Real Madrid. We managed to control Herreros and Angulo, but Mumbru and other men from their bench hurt us a lot. We didn't take control of the game and that's why we lost. It's a loss that arrives in a key moment because we have to play Virtus next week, and in a certain moment of the game we didn't know how to choose our shots. We used the zone for the first time in the Euroleague, because I thought it was what we needed against Real."

Players

DIGBEU, ALAIN
Real Madrid
"It's a very important win. All the team played with great intensity and with a will to win. All the players were in the game and as we progress, we have less ups-and-downs. This is the way to follow. Euroleague is tough and we cannot underestimate any team."
No results found.