21.10.2007 14:22
AXA FCB work hard for win (69-65)
Sònia de Alba
Gran Canaria failed to surprise Barça once again. The home side started weak but improved considerably in the second and third periods to clinch yet another win.
The game got off to a slow start, with poor play particularly from FCB. Gran Canaria Grupo Dunas
were more alert and after five minutes had moved seven points ahead, obliging Ivanovic to call a
time out. With Kornel David on form and well supported down the wings, Salva Maldonado’s side
led by ten by the end of the first period (10-20).
Better second and third
Barça needed to improve defensively, and they did. Some intimidating plays
from Mario Kasun and excellent throwing from Jaka Lakovic started confounding Gran Canaria’s
earlier confidence, and by the break, Barça had tied the game at 30-30, and then moved ahead thanks
to Lakovic picking out Fran Vázquez for a spectacular alley-hoop.
After the restart, Barça were just as convincing, defending and attacking well, but the
visitors were kept in touch thanks to some crucial steals in the midcourt, but could not hold on
for long, as Barça stormed into a match-clinching 20 point lead that had looked extremely unlikely
less than fifteen minutes earlier.
Kasun lays on the style
Despite still having trouble with his back, Mario Kasun was the key in this
dramatic surge with 12 points in just 21 minutes, and the only way Gran Canaria could find to stop
him was to commit fouls, until he was eventually withdrawn with three minutes of the third period
left and Barça leading 54-36.
Suffering to the end
But this extraordinary game was not over yet. Some clumsy losses saw Gran
Canaria spark up a late comeback and the damage could have been worse had they had just a little
more time. Affairs ended with Barça winning to go 3-0 in the ACB as attention now turns to the
first Euroleague game of the season in Belgrade . The side flies out to Serbia on Tuesday for the
Partizan v AXA FC Barcelona game.
MATCH STATS
AXA FC BARCELONA, 69
GRAN CANÀRIA GRUPO DUNAS, 65
AXA FCB (10+20+28+11): Basile (8), Trias (5), Marconato (2), Lakovic (20),
Morandais (2) –starting five- Sánchez (12), Hernández (-), Vázquez (6), Ilyasova (2), Moncasi
(-), Acker (-), Kasun (12)
Gran Canària Grupo Dunas (20+10+10+25): Savane (6), David (20), Guerra (6), Norris
(8), Moran (3) –starting five- Massie (-), Pérez (-), Freeland (-), English (14), Baldo (5),
Fernández (3)
Referees: Hierrezuelo, Alzuria and Muñoz