Real Madrid had to battle hard to beat LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne 70-58 in the Spanish capital. One of its most experienced players made the difference.
Fernandez stepped up in critical moments
Rudy Fernandez rescued Real when things got worst for Los Blancos. Real did not trail in the first quarter but ASVEL found a go-to guy in David Lighty, who buried 3 three-pointers in as many minutes to put his team in charge, 46-47.
Fernandez knew his team needed a go-to guy and quickly took charge, burying a three-pointer off the dribble over Dylan Osetkowski to give Real a 51-47 margin at the end of the third quarter. From that point, Fernandez simply kept going until his team had sealed the outcome.
Fernandez came off a high post screen to bury another three-pointer from the top of the key. Real head coach Pablo Laso ran the same play once again, a high-post screen by Vincent Poirier that gave Fernandez an open look to strike from beyond the arc, causing ASVEL to call timeout at 57-49. Then Fernandez fed Guerschon Yabusele for a dunk right before Vincent Poirier capped a 15-2 run with a layup.
Real kept a safe margin until the final minute, in which Fernandez send a wild no-look pass to Poirier, whose dunk sealed Real's win in style. Fernandez finished the game with season-highs of 17 points and PIR of 24. Once again, he proved to be Real's leader when his team needed one.