Bauru comeback stuns Real Madrid in Intercontinental Cup opener

IBIRAPUERA (2015 FIBA Intercontinental Cup) - Bauru edged Real Madrid in the opening game of the Intercontinental Cup in Sao Paulo on Friday night.

Real, last season's Euroleague winners, led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter but Bauru, the 2015 DIRECTV Liga de las Americas champions, battled back to scrape a 91-90 triumph.

The second and last game of the competition will be played on Sunday.

The last quarter has surprised us - Reyes.

Former Real Madrid big man Rafael Hettsheimeir poured in a game-high 27 points for Bauru, who made 16 of 33 (48 percent) shots from long range.

Hettsheimeir was six of nine from behind the arc.

"They have been very efficient and had spells of making three-pointers," Real captain Felipe Reyes said.

"We have to make sure they don't have those spells on Sunday."

One of Hettsheimeir's three-pointers cut Real's lead to 61-48 with 2:17 to go in the third quarter and another made it 62-56 with 34 seconds remaining in the frame.

Leonardo Meindl drilled another just before the end of the period to reduce the arrears to 62-59.

Real went back in front by six points near the midway point of the fourth quarter when Howard Thompkins scored to make it 75-69.

Bauru refused to go away and the contest went to the wire.

With 34 seconds to go in the game, Reyes, who just five days earlier helped Spain win the EuroBasket Final over Lithuania in Lille, France, scored for a 89-87 advantage.

Alex Garcia replied with a basket to knot the contest 11 seconds later.

With seven seconds to go, Reyes drew a foul from Jefferson and made one of two free-throws for a 90-89 Real lead.

After a Bauru timeout, Ricardo Fischer penetrated into the lane and scored for a 91-90 lead for the hosts.

Sergio's Llull's shot right before the end was off target, ensuring Bauru a 91-90 first-leg triumph.

"We knew it was a team that shot a lot of three-pointers and we have to take more care with that," Reyes said.

"It's a title of two games. We have lost the first because of a bad last quarter. We've had some time to get to know them so hopefully we can beat them in the second game."

FIBA