BELGRADE, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Euroleague holders Real Madrid reached the competition's Top 16 stage after a 97-65 home rout of Strasbourg but fellow heavyweights Maccabi Tel Aviv were eliminated despite a 70-66 win at Darusaffaka Istanbul on Thursday.
Needing a win to avoid an embarrassing early exit, Real dominated throughout and came out on top thanks to 16 points by forward Jeffery Taylor and 14 from guard Sergio Rodriguez.
"We made a poor start in a fiercely competitive group but hit top gear when we needed to and I expect better results in the Top 16," Real coach Pablo Laso told Euroleague television.