Petr Cornelie becoming a force for Real Madrid
Petr Cornelie might not have been one of the most high-profile signings made by Real Madrid when he joined the Spanish giant in the summer, but he is fast becoming one of the most effective players on the team's roster.
The 27-year-old forward is playing his first season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, having previously gradually made his mark with a series of clubs in his native France and a short stint in the United States. Cornelie did appear in the 7DAYS EuroCup very early in his career, making 11 appearances for Le Mans Sarthe Basket between 2013 and 2016. That is nothing compared to the rigorous demands of playing week in, week out in Europe’s elite competition, but Cornelie is managing his step up in standards with increasingly impressive composure as the season progresses.
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He enjoyed by far his best game yet on Friday night, helping Real climb to joint first place in the EuroLeague standings with a 98-65 victory over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv. With 18 points, Cornelie was the game’s joint top scorer alongside Dzanan Musa, and that came with impressive shooting accuracy as he made both his two-point attempts and went 4-of-5 from three-point territory, along with 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Those 18 points were his highest of the season, and he equaled another personal mark by grabbing 5 rebounds, also adding 1 assist for a PIR of 24 – by far the best of his debut EuroLeague campaign.
Cornelie’s proficiency from long range should not have been surprising, because he has been a deadly three-point shooter all season. He has now made 44.7% of his attempts from beyond the arc, knocking down at least 1 triple in seven consecutive games, while he has also done so in nine of the last 10. In just his first season in the competition, despite all the added pressure of representing a demanding club like Real Madrid, Cornelie is taking it all in his stride to become a key figure for the men in white.