Martin Zubillaga led Matero Magic to an impressive 82-67 victory over Brave Hearts, scoring 19 points and showcasing strong teamwork. The Zambian side established an early lead and maintained dominance throughout the game keeping a clean slate in the competition.
Last Updated on
October 25, 2024
There are days when everything seems to work out well and whatever one touches changes to gold. That was the case for Martin Zubillaga as he put up an XXL performance, inspiring Zambian side Matero Magic to a scintillating 82-67 win over Malawian outfit Brave Hearts.
The Magic set the tempo really early in the game, establishing a 2-point lead 5 minutes into the first quarter and that lead widened to a 10-point gap by the time the first quarter closed with the Zambian club leading 29-19.
The "Tamanga Boys," as Matero Magic is christened, continued their pursuit in the second quarter, extending their domination to 20 points by halftime, leaving Brave Hearts and their coaching staff scratching their heads about how to spark a comeback.
The Brave Hearts lived up to their name, bravely stepping up in the third quarter to prevent more damage. They had an impressive 15-point scoring run, but Zubillaga and his mates had already done the damage.
The Portuguese guard recorded 19 points with two rebounds, scoring 75% beyond the arc to ease his side to a win. His mates also put up a show, with Saul Phiri hitting 16 points, while Demond Jones' 11 points and Gilbert Muleya's 10 points helped push Matero to a 2-0 run. Matero had significant help from the bench with 53 points, further demonstrating great athleticism with 24 fast-break points.
"It was a good team win. We came out fired up, giving great energy throughout the game and we got the win." Zubillaga stated before adding "We are looking forward to the next game"
Magic Matero faces Fox Basketball Club on Friday while Brave Hearts take on Botswana Defence Forces.
[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]
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