By Alex Molina / amolina@eurohoops.net
There are still not many rounds left until the end of the EuroLeague regular season, but for quite some time now, every game has felt like a final.
The game played today at the Palau Blaugrana between Barça and Crvena Zvezda could prove decisive for the final standings, as the Blaugrana not only claimed the overtime win 92-88 but also the head-to-head advantage by winning both matchups and ending up having a three-way tie with Zalgiris, and Panathinaikos between the 6th and the 8th position.
A victory for Xavi Pascual’s team by a very tight scoreline puts them at 20–14, while the Red-and-Whites fall to 19–15.
Jordan Nwora was the game’s top scorer with 26 points. Will Clyburn (19 points), Joel Parra (15) and Jan Vesely with 14 led the scoring for the home side.
As the final score suggests, balance was the key feature of a matchup between two teams tied, in a game delayed by half an hour due to issues with the visiting team’s uniforms.
After halftime at 42–40, Jan Vesely was largely responsible for Barça pulling ahead. The Czech center’s dominant stretch pushed the score to 66–58, the biggest lead for the home side, although the game tightened again in the closing stages.
With less than two minutes remaining, the score stood at 72–66. Still, Barça finished regulation poorly, with defensive lapses and just 1 of 4 free throws in the final minute, which ultimately led to overtime. Butler tied it at 75–75, and Clyburn failed to break the tie on the final possession.
In overtime, Tomas Satoransky shone brightly, leading Barça to a hard-fought victory, as the Serbian side never gave up.