Barça accumulate six consecutive victories matching Euroleague y Endesa League. The triumph in Laziness from this past Sunday, after decisively beating Baxi (62-89), served to add the fourth consecutive joy in an ACB in which the Barça team is advancing at a good pace, but in which they are still unable to climb positions.
There are five consecutive victories in an Endesa League in which Barça, after the first 10 days of the regular phase, occupies the seventh position, yes, a win difference of La Laguna Tenerife (4th), Joventut (5th) and Unicaja (6th). This coming weekend, the Palau will host a high-intensity derby against the rock (12/21 12:30h CET), in the middle of the fight, between both teams, to be present in the next edition of the King's Cup.
Very convincing victory in Manresa
The victory at the Nou Congost left good news in Barça code. Another offensive recital Darío Brizuela, author of 22 points (his highest mark of the season), the ACB debut of a Miles Norris who was on the track for more than 35 minutes and that he flirted with the double figures (9 points, 8 rebounds), the most complete version of a Tomas Satoransky who signed 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists for 24 rating credits, and a very solvent version of a Willy Hernangomez who was once again important for the team on both sides of the court, putting in a great performance against the Manresa team.
Willy Hernangómez fights for a rebound with Pierre Oriola and Álex Reyes / ACB Photo
In 18 and a half minutes on the court, the Barça '14' went up to the 12 points, with a good 5/6 in the two-point shot, to which he added nine rebounds, four of them offensive, for 19 assessment credits. He lost three balls and placed a block, but before the Jan Vesely injury, became big and was important for Xavi Pascual.
Willy explains the move to the defensive front
Willy, who was pleased with the “good job everyone”, and that he positively valued a “always very difficult victory in Manresa”, He explained, after the match, those improvements that the team has been experiencing since the arrival of the Gavà coach to the bench. “We are working hard to have a solid, structured defense, in which we give 120%, that there is communication and that everyone knows what they have to do. And above all, give our all in every action and every possession. We are doing a good job, but we still have a way to go. We each know the rules and the structure, and the desire and intensity are there. When there are small mistakes, with that extra intensity perhaps it can be fixed. It's a matter of trust, the point guards know that when I'm on the court I'll be able to help them with whatever defense, and I know that they'll help me behind to hold up mine,” he commented after the match in a post-match interview on 'DAZN'.
Willy Hernangómez, in a match with Barça / Dani Barbeito
The work of the coaches with Hernangómez
In addition, Willy also revealed the job who are doing so much Pascual as your inseparable assistant, Íñigo Zorzano, so that your defensive level improves. “I'm very happy, working a lot. They are demanding of me, correcting me, I am learning and enjoying every training session and every game, and I am happy. I am aware that I have many things to improve, and I think Xavi and Íñigo are helping me a lot, every day I have a video with what I have to improve, individual training… You have to be patient and in the end everything will work out,” said the Madrid center.
Willy revealed the great work that Pascual and Zorzano are doing to help him improve in defense / EFE
Pascual's demand with Willy
A happiness, regarding the performance of the Barça '14', which Pascual also shared in the press conference after the match: “Willy has taken a step forward. I am very happy, and I am clear that if we want to win, he has to be very important.” And, after some first games with little prominence, Hernangómez is having more and more minutes, and the Madrid native is responding: in the last two ACB games, Willy averages 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in just over 18 minutes per match. In terms of catches, their progression is more than notable, and above those numbers, they only move Tryggvi Hlinason, from Bilbao Basket (7.6) and Sander Raiste from UCAM Murcia (6.7).
Now, and after gaining confidence in Liga Endesa, Willy must try to improve his contribution to a Euroleague in which it is in 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. In front, a Paris Basketball who they visit this Tuesday (9pm CET), and with the great memory of the '14''s away performance against the Parisian team last year: 23 points (Euroleague record), 10 rebounds and 30 rating credits that served to overthrow the group of Tiago Splitter, T.J. Shorts and company.
