He Barça confirmed this Sunday his excellent state of form, evidenced in his impressive victory against the Red Starby adding a comfortable victory in the Palau Blaugrana in front of Morabanc Andorra (102-71) to consolidate among the top eight of the Endesa League.
The Barça team broke the game in the third quarter with a 35-21 run guided by the inspiration of Joel Parrawho signed his scoring record in ACB with 24 points, and Kevin Punter, who contributed 20 points, in the fourth victory in five games in all competitions since Xavi Pascual He took over the reins of the bench.
The staging of the entire Principality surprised the Barça in the first bars. The team he leads Go to Plaza He set the pace from a very aggressive defense and, in attack, took advantage of the size of Pustovyi to generate advantages against a dense local team, unable to score during the first three minutes (0-6, min. 3).
As the minutes pass, society Shengelia-Punter-Clyburn appeared to light the Palau: three consecutive triples dynamited the local inertia, while the notable defensive improvement -led by a Hernango shirt dominant on the rebound – consolidated the Barça comeback at the end of the first quarter (16-14).
But when that trio went on the bench, the offensive problems reappeared. He Barça got stuck again, with percentages very far from those it exhibited before the Red Star and several poor shot selections (6 of 14 on three-pointers at halftime). Even so, the defense – as reliable as in Belgrade – maintained a slim advantage that the ex-azulgrana Kuric and Evans They threatened (26-23, min. 15).
Again, they were Clyburn and Punter who came to the rescue. The two Americans, drawing on individual talent, unblocked thick attacks and became the hammer that allowed the Barça open a gap and go into the break with their maximum advantage until then (38-30).
Not even the time in the locker room altered the script. He Andorra tried to respond from the same aggressive defense that marked the beginning, but the Barça found new actors who joined the American momentum and began to shape the victory.
Parra, with a cornered triple and a 2+1, and above all Hernangómez, who chained a dunk and great defensive actions celebrated with rage – both needing an afternoon like this to shore up their confidence – widened a gap that became insurmountable before the last act (73-51, min.29).
He Andorra He ended up kneeling, unable to stop Barça's hammer, which did not reduce its intensity one bit. The Barça team displayed an impeccable choral game, in which even Fall and the young man Kusturica They had minutes, closing the game with a resounding 102-71 that represents their fifth league victory, the second in a row.
Technical sheet
102 – Barça (16+22+35+29): Satoransky (-), Punter (20), Clyburn (12), Shengelia (9), Vesely (11), -starting five-, Marcos (2), Cale (4), Kusturica (-), Brizuela (7), Hernangómez (13), Fall (-) and Parra (24).
71 – Morabanc Andorra (14+16+21+20): Evans (12), Best (10), Okoye (8), Pons (9), Pustovyi (11), -starting five-, Udeze (3), Luz (2), Ortega (-), Bassas (3), McKoy (5), Kuric (8) and Guerrero (-).
Referees: Carlos Peruga, Vicente Martínez and Igor Esteve. They eliminated Morris Udeze and Yves Pons for Morabanc Andorra.
Incidences: match of the ninth day of the Endesa League played at the Palau Blaugrana (Barcelona) in front of 5,240 spectators.
