First-time basketball fan -My First Basketball Game Was Unbelievable
Thursday Nov 20th I went to my first ever basketball game and what an opening to this sport it was for me. The real madrid vs Žalgiris Kaunas Euroleague match turned out to be an unbelievable back-and-forth scoring affair with Madrid coming from behind at the end of the game to capture a 100-99 one point victory and leave all of us in attendance on our edge of our seats until the final buzzer sounded.
An incredible back-and-forth duel on offense
It quickly became apparent in the first few minutes that this would not be an uneventful evening for either team. The two teams were pushing hard, trading baskets, and neither wanted to slow down. Early on, Madrid got off to a good start, but Žalgiris regained its footing with confidence and really made things interesting again, as they were able to get close enough at halftime to make the game much tighter than anyone had expected.
In the final ten minutes (fourth quarter) things went completely haywire: Real Madrid scored 38 points; Žalgiris scored 37. It was an all-out scoring fest, intense, and simply crazy – just the type of finish to a game that will have you hooked on basketball.
Strong Play From The Entire Team
Many of the Real Madrid players rose to the occasion and stepped up for their team:
Théo Maledon played an incredible role with 25 points and a team high 34 PIR. He was instrumental in controlling the tempo of the game at key times.
Trey Lyles was effective offensively as he scored 21 points and made big shots from outside to put pressure on Žalgiris from the perimeter.
Facundo Campazzo did what we have come to expect from him. He produced 20 points, while displaying his normal level of quickness, playmaking ability and clutch shooting.
Edy Tavares dominated the paint as well as on the glass with 12 points and 11 rebounds, providing defensive anchor for his teammates at both ends of the court.
This was clearly a total team effort that required each member of the team to make some sort of contribution to escape the loss in such a close contest.
Watching the Basketball Game Live For the First Time
Everything about watching the basketball game felt new to me; the sound of the ball bouncing on the hardwood, the quick pace of transition, the energy from the crowd, and the tension created by each team’s possession of the ball. Watching basketball live is so much more intense than seeing it on TV — you are physically feeling the rush of each run, each error or misstep, and each huge shot made during the course of the game.
The excitement level inside the arena was electric when there were just one point separating the two teams as the final buzzer sounded. The instant that final buzzer sounded people jumped up screaming and hugging — and at that moment I realized exactly how basketball can create such an enthusiastic fan base with people becoming so loyal to their favorite teams and players.
This is why my experience with this game will remain in my memory
The ideal match to introduce me to basketball; fast paced, emotional, full of unknowns.
Real Madrid demonstrated that they had a strong mental aspect to their team by taking home the win from a very difficult contest.
What I saw was the type of EuroLeague game that fans are talking about long after it has ended.
Personally, the game gave me a desire to learn more about basketball, to be able to feel that level of intensity once again.
I was fortunate enough to see my first basketball game take place as a 100-99 battle, and I could not have imagined a better beginning to this new adventure.
