Real Madrid dominates Unicaja Málaga and wins the Costa del Sol

Real Madrid concluded its preseason preparation with a convincing victory that left little doubt about its offensive and defensive potential. The superiority displayed in Málaga transcends the friendly nature of the tournament and reflects the work carried out during the summer by Pedro Martínez's coaching staff. With this win, the white team accumulates its seventh title in the Costa del Sol, consolidating its historical dominance in a competition that has traditionally served as a thermometer ahead of the start of the official season.

Unicaja holds on for ten minutes

The match began with a Unicaja that found the spark needed to compete during the early minutes through Cameron Hunt, its recent signing from Joventut. The Málaga power forward broke down the Madrid defense with his driving to the basket, accumulating thirteen of his fifteen points in the first quarter. The end of that first phase came with relative parity: 27-25 in favor of Madrid, a sign that the team led by Txus Vidorreta could maintain competitive tension.

That hope lasted as long as it takes to finish a quarter. At the start of the second period, a 2-17 run in favor of the whites opened the gates wide at the Palacio Martín Carpena. The physical superiority in the paint became an impenetrable barrier, while Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot easily created his own shots. The second quarter concluded with a devastating 9-30, and the halftime score reached a nineteen-point advantage for Madrid, a cushion that already hinted at the outcome.

The second half, a formality

The second half did not alter the script. The white team continued giving minutes to its new signings and fine-tuning systems while Unicaja could not muster any significant defensive resistance. Vidorreta took the opportunity to work on integrating his new players, aware that preparation remained the primary goal. Among the Málaga ranks, Kendrick Perry scored sixteen points, Hunt finished with fifteen, and Willy Hernangómez contributed eleven, numbers that reflect a limited offensive distribution and excessive dependence on their main weapons.

Madrid shows its offensive depth

Where the true insight of the match lies is in Madrid's distribution capability. Theo Maledon led the scoring with nineteen points, while Luwawu-Cabarrot added sixteen in what constitutes his second great performance of the tournament, having accumulated ratings of 26 and 27 against La Laguna Tenerife. Facundo Campazzo added fifteen, Olivier Sarr eleven, and both Chuma Okeke and Gaby Deck reached ten points each. A total of twelve players scored, with seven of them surpassing six points, a figure that illustrates the offensive balance of the white team.

Damian Jones, in his second game as a Madrid player, completed his participation with six points, demonstrating that the integration of new signings is progressing as planned. This distribution is significant for the future: there is no extreme dependence on one or two names, but rather a collective structure where multiple players can assume scoring responsibility depending on the circumstances.

Unicaja and its pending assignment

Beyond the result, the match highlighted a structural deficiency of Unicaja that transcends merely sporting aspects. Madrid's interior physical superiority was absolute, and the Málaga team continues to await the signing of a defensive intimidator to reinforce that position. It is their pending assignment from the summer, and this match indisputably exposed it. Without that defensive piece in the paint, Unicaja will remain vulnerable against teams with interior power, a limitation that conditions its competitive projection in the coming weeks.

Pedro Martínez's team now faces its first official challenge: the EuroLeague SuperCup semifinal against Dubai Basketball on Friday the 18th at 18:45. Meanwhile, Unicaja will play another friendly on Thursday the 17th against UCAM Murcia, continuing its preparation before the important commitments. The Costa del Sol has fulfilled its role as a preseason laboratory, allowing both teams to assess their physical condition and game dynamics in view of larger objectives.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Real Madrid domina al Unicaja de Málaga y se lleva el Costa del Sol