By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The revenge of Barcelona for the semifinal defeat in Euroleague’s Final Four was sweet. The Catalans got the 83-81 win in Game 4 of Liga Endesa’s finals and with 3-1 wins got the championship title over arch-rival Real Madrid.
It was a more than tense game. Coach Pablo Laso who had injured his Achilles tendon after Game 1 and needed surgery, was ejected at the start of the second half and left the court on his wheelchair. Τhat image help his team react and tie the game with one minute left (76-76) after an offensive rebound and a bucket by Giannis Bourousis. However the answer was a three by Macej Lampe, followed by a missed shot by Sergi Rodriguez and Alex Abrines gave a five points lead to Barca (81-76). Tremmell Darden with 8 seconds to go made a three (81-79), but it was just too late. Brad Oleson made it from the free throw line a four points game (83-79) and Reyes just cut the final lead to two (83-81).
Ante Tomic was dominant in the paint and led Barcelona with 22 points and Juan Carlos Navarro, the top play offs scorer in the history of Barca after this series, added 14 points and also got the Finals MVP award.
Barcelona returned to the top of Liga Endesa after last season’s break and Real Madrid ended the season with winning two lesser trophies, the “Supercopa” and the “Copa Del Rey”.