Andres Feliz leads Real Madrid to victory in Liga Endesa finals Game 1
Real Madrid took the lead in the Liga Endesa finals by defeating Valencia Basket on Friday night (89-75). Led by an inspired Andres Feliz, Madrid pulled away in the final quarter to overcome a Valencia team that had stayed competitive for most of the game.
Real Madrid takes control of the finals
Dominating in crunch time, Real Madrid perfectly started their series against Valencia Basket. In a generally balanced Game 1, Coach Chus Mateo’s team knew how to « let the game mature » as their coach explained after the match. Everything was decided in the last ten minutes, which ended with a decisive 25-15 run that proved fatal for the visitors.
For a long time, Valencia Basket played at their high tempo and used their transition qualities to challenge the favorites. Brancou Badio, who was impressive for three quarters (20 points), particularly troubled Madrid’s defense with a series of three-pointers. However, this wasn’t enough against the hosts’ depth and collective intensity.
Andres Feliz, MVP of the night
« Andres has truly blended into the locker room this season, he’s already a very important player despite his injury, » emphasized Chus Mateo at the press conference. The Dominican point guard was the X-factor of the game with 18 points and a 22 efficiency rating. Always making the right decisions, he embodied Real Madrid’s progressive rise in intensity, especially in the final quarter.
In the absence of a dominant Tavares (14 points), it was Bruno Fernando who stepped up late in the game to maintain pressure under the boards. Sergio Llull, Dzanan Musa, and Facundo Campazzo each contributed to complete the team effort.
Anoche nadie se quiso perder el arranque de la 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 del #PlayoffLigaEndesa
👀 Espectadores del lujo en el Movistar Arena pic.twitter.com/EwDCjAAL5j
— Liga Endesa (@ACBCOM) June 21, 2025
A decisive defense
The Madrid coach emphasized the defensive aspect of his team’s performance: « Valencia is an unpredictable team that can score a lot in a short time. We managed to stay consistent and patient, which was crucial. » Indeed, limiting the regular season’s second-place team to 75 points represents a real achievement, given how impressive Pedro Martinez’s team had been in the semifinals.
The series continues on Sunday with Game 2, again in Madrid. Real, riding a 30-game home winning streak in the league, will have the opportunity to take a commanding lead.
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