Barcelona, Nov 26 (EFE) .- Barça remains undefeated at home in the Euroleague after defeating Zalgiris Kaunas (96-73) this Friday on the twelfth day, a result that consolidates the Catalans in the first position of the table with the same figures as Real Madrid (10-2).
The Barcelona team responded with its most choral version to the absences of the injured Nick Calathes, Cory Higgins and Álex Abrines, to which was added the loss of Brandon Davies, summoned by the Ugandan national team.
All but the debutant Nnaji scored at least three points, with a prominent role from Oriola (13 points and 9 rebounds) and Jokubaitis (15 points and 7 assists), in a game that Barça chose in the second quarter (52-38) and controlled after the break.
This Friday was a special meeting for Sarunas Jasikevicius, Nigel Hayes-Davis and Rokas Jokubaitis, since all of them arrived at Barça from Zalgiris.
A link between both entities that was reflected when the Lithuanian coach took to the track, being applauded by both the Barcelona fans and the more than 500 noisy Lithuanian fans present at the Palau.
Barça initially allowed easy baskets near the basket and it was not until after the first time-out requested by Jasikevicius (5-11, min. 3) that the Barça team increased their defensive intensity with the additions of Oriola, Jokubaitis and Sergi Martínez.
Mirotic’s offensive inspiration (8 points in the first quarter), added to the outside success of Kuric and Jokubaitis allowed Barça to turn the scoreboard (18-15, min. 7) and end the initial period with a seven-point advantage ( 24-17).
A triple by Sergi Martínez gave Barça the first income in double digits (29-19, min. 11) and, although Zalgiris tried to respond through point guard Tai Webster (6 points in the second quarter), the second Barça unit managed score fluently and chorally (44-27, min. 16).
Pierre Oriola (10 points) and Sergi Martínez (8 points) stood out in attack for a Barça that, even giving Mirotic rest, increased the advantage to the break (52-38) thanks to the high hit rate in the shots of two (77 , 8%) and three points (66.7%).
Zalgiris returned to the court with a hot wrist, but was unable to contain Sanli’s scoring awakening (9 consecutive points) and the distances were maintained (66-51, min. 24) in the third quarter, which Barça closed with two triples from Smits and Jokubaitis (75-58).
The difference increased in the initial section of the last quarter (85-62, min. 33), a blow that sank the Lithuanian team, unable to contain the final escape of the Jasikevicius team, which in the last minutes made their debut in the Euroleague to the young Rafa Villar and James Nnaji.
The Palau celebrated the Spanish’s first points with a standing ovation, the culmination of the Barça team’s fourth consecutive victory in the Euroleague (96-73).
Data sheet:
96- Barça (24 + 28 + 23 + 21): Laprovittola (5), Kuric (10), Hayes-Davis (12), Mirotic (11), Sanli (9) -starting team-, Sergi Martínez (8), Smits (7), Oriola (13), Jokubaitis (15), Caicedo (3), Villar (3), Nnaji (-).
73- Zalgiris Kaunas (17 + 21 + 20 + 15): Kalnietis (9), Dragic (9), Strelnieks (6), Cavanaugh (9), Blazevic (10) -starting team-, Webster (13), Lekavicius ( 6), Nebo (2), Miniotas (-), Lukosiunas (4), Milaknis (-) and Ulanovas (5).
Referees: Matej Boltauzer (ESL), Fernando Rocha (POR) and Luka Kardum (CRO). Without eliminated.
Incidents: Matchday 12 of the Euroleague played at the Palau Blaugrana before 4808 spectators.
(c) EFE Agency