Barça took the victory of the Olympic of Badalona (77-83) and regained control of the semi-final (1-2) in a very serious duel of the azulgranas who were always in control of the game despite the green and black attempts to get into the game, with Willis’ points (17) and a great Ante Tomic (21).
Now, the azulgranas, led by Mirotic (18 points and 7 rebounds), can settle the tie this Friday in the fourth game, also at the Olímpic. The task of Carles Duran’s team will be to achieve a victory that extends the series until the fifth and final match, although at the Palau.
Barça started very serious and focused, taking control of the game with a successful Davies who wanted to erase his bad game at the Palau with a stroke of the pen (0-6). A triple by Hayes allowed Jasikevicius’s men to dominate the scoreboard and the game (2-9).
Irregular green start
La Penya, too excited with a full Olímpic, couldn’t get good shots despite the fact that Ribas tried to shoot his own. Carousel of changes with Saras moving the whole team and the azulgranas remained firm after a triple by Laprovittola (9-19). With control of the rebound and the rhythm of the game, Barça closed a good start to the match (14-23).
Joventut came out more energetic in the second, with Ribas and Vives increasing the pace of the game, while trying to stifle the Barça attack (19-23). The green-and-blacks approached three with Tomic’s awakening (25-28), but Barça, this time, did not lower its guard.
The best news, for the azulgranas, was a triple by Kuric that ended his long drought in the shot that was followed by another by Mirotic. Barça responded well to the aggressive green and black game and Mirotic led again with another triple (31-39).
Higgins reassures Barça
Along with the Montenegrin, Higgins offered his best minutes and extended the lead to 10 points (34-44) which was maintained until the break (36-46). Barça controlled the game on the rebound (19/12) and with greater success in shooting (19 of 32).
After the break, the game lost its offensive brilliance. to enter into a guerrilla war based on fouls. The azulgrana came out worse off from the verdinegro stake, where Willis was the local man who best saw the opposite hoop (11 points).
A basket from Tomic, doing damage again, approached Joventut to only three points (45-48). Although Jasikevicius’ men kept calm, and little by little, with actions by Higgins, Mirotic and Laprovittola, with a triple, they were still in control at the end of the third quarter (56-61).
Joventut returns to the fray
Joventut returned to the charge with balls to Tomic, but Barça maintained the solidity of the first three quarters, and despite the arreones of Carles Duran’s, managed to maintain the lead of 10 (60-70) at 6:41 from the end. It was time to endure the last local pull.
Joventut tried again and got to five after Parra’s points (65-70). Barça was not nervous, and a basket by Hayes and a triple by Mirotic opened the lead to 10 again (65-75). La Penya did not give up with another run of 5-0 (70-75) and got to three with a basket by Tomic (74-77).
With all the pressure from the Olímpic, the least expected actor, Nick Calathes nailed a triple that left the match decided in the final seconds (77-83). Barça regains control of the series (1-2) and can now sentence the series, also in Badalona.
Datasheet:
77 – Badalona Youth (14 + 22 + 20 + 21): Feliz (2), Ribas (10), Parra (4), Willis (17), Birgander (2) -initial team-, Busquets (-), Ventura (-), Vives (13), Bassas (8) and Tomic (twenty-one).
83 – FC Barcelona (23 + 23 + 15 + 22): Calathes (5), Higgins (13), Hayes-Davis (9), Mirotic (18), Davies (9) -initial team-, Sanli (4), Martínez (3), Smits (4), Laprovittola (10) , Abrines (-) and Kuric (8).
Referees: Pérez Pérez, Caballero and Serrano. They eliminated Sanli for five personal fouls (min. 35)
Incidences: Third match of the semi-final play-off of the Liga Endesa played at the Palau Olímpic in Badalona in front of 10,323 spectators.
