By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
It took much more effort than in the first match, but Barca didn’t falter and secured a 2-0 lead in the semifinals.
A home victory against La Laguna Tenerife by 97-89 earned the Blaugranas the right to reach the final in Tenerife.
And all of this happened after surviving a hurricane named Patty Mills, who with 36 points, spread panic at the Palau.
Vesely (19 points) was the top scorer in the Blaugrana’s team effort: Punter (15), Fall (16), Clyburn (14), and Laprovittola (13) were also key players.
That the game was going to be very different from the first one was clear and demonstrated from the start. Despite the, once again, good minutes from Fall, it was La Laguna Tenerife that closed the first quarter ahead with a 25-27 score that encouraged the aurinegro optimism.
But the second quarter was a different story. The emergence of Jan Vesely, who delivered a masterclass, and the quality of Laprovittola allowed Barca to close the first half with a 48-38 score that calmed the spirits at the Palau Blaugrana somewhat.
And perhaps being ahead on the scoreboard was the worst that could have happened to Barça. More content than they should have been, the Blaugranas didn’t manage to close the game, and it was taken advantage of by one of the classiest players ever to play in the Liga Endesa. Despite trailing 61-46, Patty Mills put his team on his back and delivered some legendary minutes at the Palau.
The Australian’s performance was such that La Laguna Tenerife even tied the game at 71, a moment when the Blaugrana pillars also appeared. Fall, Punter, and company put some distance (81-73), a reaction that coincided with the expulsion of Txus Vidorreta due to a double technical foul.
Entering the last five minutes with an 84-77 score was fantastic news for Xavi Pascual’s team, as the threat of losing the home-court advantage was very real. Rather than taking control of the game, it seemed Barca was focused on maintaining the lead… and one of the best players had to step up and do what he does best. Two three-pointers by Clyburn meant a 92-82 score with 1:38 left, which allowed Barca to approach the final seconds of the game with some calm.
Liga Endesa Playoffs
Quarterfinals
- Real Madrid 1 – 2 La Laguna Tenerife (97-98), (83-118), (95-107)
- Valencia Basket 2 – 0 Surne Bilbao (83-80), (71-88)
- Kosner Baskonia 1 – 2 Asisa Joventut (85-71), (63-82), (88-96)
- UCAM Murcia 1 – 2 Barça (68-91), (87-90), (76-100)
Semifinals
- Barça 2 – 0 La Laguna Tenerife (100-67, 97-89)
- Valencia Basket 1 –0 Asisa Joventut (118-117)
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