The Benfica team emerged victorious on the road, defeating Queluz 86-95, and solidified their position as the sole leader of the Liga Betclic basketball league, boasting a three-point advantage over FC Porto. Although they played one more game than their closest rivals, Benfica’s win marked their 16th victory in 17 games, a testament to their consistent performance. However, their coach, Norberto Alves, wasn’t entirely satisfied with the team’s showing, citing inconsistencies on both offense and defense.
“We scored 95 points, but our offense wasn’t consistent,” Alves said in his post-game analysis. “We had moments of brilliance, but they were often followed by periods of struggle. To be honest, we didn’t have a great game offensively.” The coach’s criticism didn’t stop there, as he also expressed disappointment with his team’s defensive performance. “We didn’t make smart decisions, particularly when it came to blocking shots. Overall, we faced a lot of difficulties,” he added.
The game got off to a balanced start, with Queluz keeping pace with the league leaders point for point in the first quarter. It wasn’t until the final minutes of the period that Benfica began to pull ahead, albeit slightly, ending the quarter with a two-point lead, 12-14. The second quarter saw Benfica come out stronger, but Queluz quickly responded, even taking the lead at one point. However, they lost momentum and ultimately trailed by six points, 21-27, by the end of the half.
The third quarter followed a similar pattern, with Queluz initially taking the lead, only for Benfica to finish strong and maintain their eight-point advantage. As the game entered its final stretch, Benfica began to pull away, deciding the outcome with 2:30 minutes left to play, when they reached an 18-point lead, 73-91. Although they relaxed a bit after that, the win was all but secured.
Meanwhile, at the Dragão Arena, FC Porto also struggled to put away their opponents, Imortal, until the final quarter. The Porto team started strong, seemingly poised for a convincing win, with a seven-point lead after the first 10 minutes. However, Imortal gradually gained momentum, narrowing the gap to just one point, 22-21, by the end of the second quarter. The visitors’ resurgence continued in the third quarter, driven by Javian Davis’s impressive performance, which included nearly 30 points and 16 rebounds. Imortal managed to erase a five-point deficit and turn the game into a closely contested affair heading into the final quarter.
Imortal briefly took the lead early in the fourth quarter, but FC Porto quickly regained their footing and retook the lead. From there, they dominated the remainder of the game, outscoring their opponents 15-0 at one point, and ultimately emerged victorious, 90-83. The win kept FC Porto within striking distance of Benfica, setting up an intriguing showdown between the two teams in the future.
Game Highlights
The Benfica-Queluz game was marked by several key moments, including:
- Benfica’s strong finish to the first quarter, which gave them a crucial two-point lead
- Queluz’s brief takeover of the lead in the second quarter, which was quickly erased by Benfica’s resurgence
- The seesaw battle in the third quarter, which ended with Benfica maintaining their eight-point advantage
- Benfica’s decisive 18-point lead with 2:30 minutes left to play, which sealed the win
Similarly, the FC Porto-Imortal game had its own share of exciting moments, including:
- Imortal’s impressive comeback in the second and third quarters, which turned the game into a closely contested affair
- Javian Davis’s standout performance, which nearly led Imortal to a stunning upset
- FC Porto’s dominant finish to the game, which included a 15-0 run and ultimately secured their victory