ESP - Madrid edge DKV Joventut to reach ACB final

MADRID (ACB) - Real Madrid booked their spot in the final of the ACB play-offs after defeating DKV Joventut 65-61 in a thrilling Game Five at the Vistalegre on Tuesday.

There was precious little to separate the two sides in a hard-fought encounter that went right to the wire.

However, hosts Madrid held their nerve at the end to set up a final showdown with Winterthur FC Barcelona.

It took a while for the teams to find their rhythm at the start of the game, with Elmer Bennett's lay-up for DKV the only two points scored in the opening two minutes.

But, backed by a noisy and virtually capacity crowd at the Vistalegre, hosts Madrid were soon into their stride and rapidly opened up leads of 12-4 and 16-8.

DKV refused to buckle though, and they scored 11 of the next 14 points to regain the advantage at 19-18 at the start of the second period.

That quarter was again largely dominated by Madrid, with the hosts leading by as many as six points, but a Rudy Fernandez-inspired DKV scored the final five points of the half to go into the interval only 33-32 behind.

Spanish international Fernandez, who is being projected as a first round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, contributed seven points in that period, although he also managed to incur the wrath of the home crowd and was roundly jeered as the teams returned after the half-time interval.

Madrid continued to hold the edge in the third period, but every time they looked like putting daylight between themselves and DKV, the visitors would hit back.

A Raul Lopez lay-up - taking his tally to eight in the period - saw Madrid go 46-41 ahead, but DKV rallied to end the quarter 47-46 in front.

It should have been even better for DKV but Charles Gaines contrived to miss a straightforward slam dunk right on the buzzer with barely a Madrid player within touching distance.

It was a similar story at the start of the second half when Fernandez, just as he looked poised to dunk the ball, was denied by superb defense from the airborne Louis Bullock.

Madrid then raced down the other end and a Felipe Reyes score put the home side 48-47 ahead, consecutive plays that had the partisan crowd rocking the Vistalegre to its foundations.

Still, neither side could take control of the game with DKV seeing a 50-48 lead soon after erased by a 10-1 run from Madrid, who finally appeared to have gained a decisive advantage at 58-51.

But two quickfire three-pointers from Fernandez brought DKV back into it again and Madrid led by just two at 61-59 heading into the final 60 seconds.

Controversy reigned in the closing stages though when Bullock missed a free throw, but was able to take it again after Fernandez was adjudged to have encroached in the lane.

Bullock duly scored from that re-taken shot, and he added his second free throw to make it 63-59.

A superb lay-up from Bennett brought DKV back to within touching distance almost immediately, but when Madrid were awarded two more free throws in the dying seconds, Bullock held his nerve to seal a memorable win.

Bullock ended the contest with a game-high 16 points, while Reyes added 11 points and eight rebounds for victorious Madrid.

For DKV, Fernandez ended with 15 points and Bennett 13, with no other player managing to score in double figures for the visitors.

Madrid out-rebounded DKV 41-32, though the visitors had 15 offensive rebounds.

Mike Perez, Madrid
FIBA