Three wins to open the EuroLeague season showed that Partizan had a clear idea of how it wanted to play, but the trip to Real Madrid exposed how difficult it can be to maintain that approach against a stronger and much deeper roster. Partizan lost much of the defensive aggression that had carried the team through its previous games, while certain lineups struggled badly to organize the offense. The visitors managed to fight back after halftime, but their first loss of the season (86-76) also highlighted how much Partizan depends on Carlik Jones and the challenge Joan Peñarroya faces in distributing responsibilities across his backcourt.
Real entered the game with three losses, all of them on the road, and considerable pressure to end that streak in front of its home fans. That record did not reflect the individual talent and depth of Madrid’s roster. Partizan led 16-15 in the seventh minute but trailed 45-26 midway through the second quarter. Over roughly nine minutes, the hosts went on a 30-10 run, including 14 unanswered points spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second.
Real Punished Every Drop in Partizan’s Defensive Pressure
The visitors tried to impose the same aggressive ball pressure that had helped them win their previous games, but Real had enough quality guards to break through the first line of defense. Campazzo, Maledon, Feliz and Nick Smith repeatedly created an initial advantage, forcing Partizan’s defenders to help from the paint and leaving room for passes and open shots.
Real scored 53 points in the first half, and its offense barely slowed down when the primary ball handlers went to the bench. Madrid received contributions from almost its entire rotation, while Partizan’s level dropped noticeably whenever Carlik Jones was off the floor. Real also managed to cut off driving lanes and force Partizan toward the perimeter, where the visitors failed to punish Madrid’s defense.
The Minutes Without Carlik Became the Biggest Problem
Particularly revealing was the performance of the lineup featuring Nakić, Lakić, Vildoza, Jekiri and Allman, which was outscored by 13 points in just three minutes and 34 seconds. Over the remaining 36-plus minutes, Partizan was a combined plus-three. Even more troubling was the fact that Vildoza and Allman shared the floor for 12 minutes and five seconds, during which Partizan was minus-19.
Although single-game plus-minus numbers require caution, disparities of that size are difficult to ignore. Without Carlik, Partizan lacked a player capable of consistently breaking down the first line of defense, and Vildoza and Allman could not make up for his absence. The Argentine finished with just two points on 1-of-6 shooting, while Allman had six points and four assists.
Tonye Jekiri was part of Partizan’s least effective five-man unit, yet the team was plus-13 in the nearly 13 minutes he spent alongside Carlik Jones. The Nigerian center scored 11 points, and his ability to finish around the rim became much more apparent when he played with a guard who could draw defensive attention and deliver the ball at the right moment.
Peñarroya will therefore have to manage his ball handlers’ minutes more carefully, particularly to prevent Partizan from spending extended stretches without reliable shot creation.
Partizan Found Its Defense Again After Halftime
Partizan significantly improved its defensive intensity and execution after halftime. Pajola increased the pressure on Real’s guards, the big men reacted more quickly, and the hosts found it increasingly difficult to generate the looks they had enjoyed in the first half. Carlik did a better job of involving his teammates, and Partizan cut a 53-37 halftime deficit to 60-54 in the 26th minute.
Real responded through Campazzo and Okeke, however, and its lead had grown back to 71-57 by the end of the third quarter. When it needed to sustain the pressure it had built with its defense, Partizan’s offense again struggled to find its rhythm.
Ethan Thompson finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, eight rebounds and three assists, making him one of Partizan’s most effective players in Madrid. His ability to find space without holding the ball for long could become a valuable weapon against teams that focus their defense on Carlik. Partizan’s leading scorer finished with 19 points, five assists and just one turnover.
Three of 20 From Deep Left Partizan With Too Little Margin
Still, winning in Madrid is difficult when a team makes only three of its 20 three-point attempts and misses 10 free throws. Vildoza, Pajola, Lakić and Sy combined to shoot 0-for-12 from beyond the arc, allowing Real to pack the paint and make drives even more difficult. Madrid, meanwhile, made all 17 of its free throws. Partizan actually shot a higher percentage on two-pointers, 58.1 percent compared with Real’s 45.7 percent, and recorded more assists, 19 to 15. Despite those advantages, poor perimeter shooting and unproductive stretches from certain lineups proved costly. There is also a difference between possessions in which Partizan failed to create a quality shot and open looks that simply did not fall.
Partizan was also without Vanja Marinković, Derek Willis and Lamar Stevens. Willis was particularly missed because his shooting from the frontcourt gives Partizan more options to space the floor. Without Marinković, the team has fewer reliable perimeter shooters, while Stevens’ absence further limits the wing rotation.
Partizan played enough good basketball in Madrid that its first defeat should not overshadow a positive start to the season. It allowed only 33 points after halftime and showed that it could disrupt Real’s offense, but its struggles without Carlik Jones remained. Peñarroya now needs more reliable production from the rest of his backcourt to prevent those minutes from becoming a recurring problem.
