Barça are one step closer to the Catalan League title after beating Morabanc Andorra in Tarragona on Thursday evening. And that’s despite the very poor start, after which a 6 point deficit was quickly erased once Jabari Parker and Kevin Punter started connecting and the blaugrana ended the period just on top (17-16).
Great second period
Things got more solid in the second period, and that was with neither Vesely or Youssoupha Fall used in this game, so when Willy Hernangómez was rested there was no obvious figure on the paint. But Parker and Metu quienes especially rose in the zone, and a superb three from Brizuelasuddenly had Barça leading by double figures at the break (43-31).
Andorra insist
Barça may have been guilty of complacency in the third, for a 0-10 for the Abdorrans got things wide open again. Peñarroya called TO, and whatever he said, it worked.
Andorra still kept pegging away, but an 8-0 burst from Barça soon put paid to any ambitions they had of winning this game. But Barça also needed points, for what they score against Bàsquet Girona could end up mattering a lot. But as things stand, Barça are very nicely poised for a place in the final.
MATCH STATS
Barça: 90
Morabanc Andorra: 77
Barça: Satoransky (0), Punter (16), Anderson (2), Parker (15), Hernangómez (10), Sarr (0), Brizuela (8), Metu (14), Núñez (4), Laprovittola (16), Abrines (1) & Parra (4).
Morabanc Andorra: Evans II (15), Harding (11), Ortega (6), Doumbouya (15), Lammers (2) – cinco inicial – Ganal (-), Llovet (2), Okoye (0), Bassas (6), Dos Anjos (2), Kuric (5) & Chougkaz (13).
Periods: 17-16, 43-31, 67-54, 90-77.