The biggest surprise of the century! La Laguna Tenerife eliminates Real Madrid from the Endesa League

Real Madrid closed one of the most disappointing seasons in recent years with an elimination as unexpected as painful. Laguna Tenerife stormed the Movistar Arena (95-107), won the third game of the quarter-finals series, and sent the Liga Endesa champions home early, leaving Sergio Scariolo's team without titles and with a difficult-to-hide feeling of competitive collapse.

The blow is total. Madrid had already lost the Supercopa, then fell in the Copa, and saw Olympiacos snatch the Euroleague from them in the continental final. The Liga Endesa appeared as the last refuge to avoid disaster. But there was no redemption there either. Tenerife completed a superb series and signed a historic night in the capital with an offensive exhibition led by two eternal veterans: Patty Mills and Marcelinho Huertas.

The Australian, imperial in crucial moments, scored 29 points and repeatedly tore apart the white defense with impossible threes, smart penetrations, and ice-cold free throws. And by his side, an endless Marcelinho appeared. At 43, the Brazilian once again gave a lesson in leadership, poise, and talent with 23 points and several trademark moves that silenced the Movistar Arena. The most spectacular came in the third quarter when, pressured by Campazzo and almost off balance, he invented an impossible shot with a football-style throw-in effect to keep the Canarians ahead.

Tenerife played boldly from the initial tip-off. Huertas' three to respond to Hezonja's first strike, outside accuracy from Scrubb and Doornekamp, and patient circulation to punish every defensive mismatch by Madrid. Txus Vidorreta's team understood the game perfectly: controlled pace, long attacks, and constant punishment of the whites' weaknesses away from the hoop.

Madrid survived for many minutes thanks to individual talent. Mario Hezonja held his own from the start and finished with 22 points, but it was too little for a disconnected team at the back and lacking emotional continuity. Campazzo tried to shake things up, Deck made appearances, and Maledon contributed in the final stretch, but there was never a real sense of control.

Every attempt at a white comeback found an immediate response. If Hezonja brought Madrid closer with a reverse or a post move, Mills appeared with a clear triple after a screen. If Campazzo sped up the pace, Huertas slowed down the game with a veteran bucket. And as the game entered the final five minutes, Tenerife showed admirable competitive maturity.

With 79-80, the defining exchange began. Yebo's three, Marcelinho's corner response, another missile from Mills, and a new blow from the Australian to take the game onto visitor territory. Madrid, nervous and hurried, faded away amidst fouls, turnovers, and a defense unable to contain the aurinegro onslaught. Even Campazzo ended up fouling out while Tenerife played with the serenity of those who know they are making history.

Harsh Blow for Real Madrid

The final 95-107 reflected the magnitude of the blow. Laguna Tenerife eliminated the regular season's top team and delivered one of the recent ACB playoff's biggest surprises. They did so by playing brilliant basketball supported by two legends who refused to accept the passage of time.

For Real Madrid, however, the night leaves many questions. Sergio Scariolo's project, built to compete for all titles, ends the season empty-handed and ousted right at the start of the league. A premature, unexpected fall, and particularly tough because of how it happened: at home, overwhelmed, and without answers against a memorable Tenerife.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¡El sorpresón del siglo! La Laguna Tenerife elimina al Real Madrid de la Liga Endesa