FCBARCELONA.CAT

11.01.2009 14:15

Hard work brings home the points (69-76)

Sònia de Alba

Regal Barça has ended the first half of the ACB regular season with its 12th win, this time against Bruesa, and is seeded for the Cup. Ilyasova got 19 points and 14 rebounds to make him match MVP.

Barça’s basketball first team has beaten Bruesa away by seven points. At one stage the Catalans were 15 points down at the start of the second period, but Ersan Ilyasova played a key role in turning things round and winning the game.

Slow starters

Xavi Pascual’s men didn’t make the best of starts, and despite having Navarro in the starting five discovered why TAU and Unicaja have both lost in San Sebastian.

Barça’s timidity was met with a resounding response from the home side who ended the first ten minutes 24-14 ahead. Alex Urtasun fired home two three-pointers to keep the visitors in check.

Gradual fight back

Things weren’t looking good, and the second quarter started in the same way, as Panko and Urtasun put the home side ahead at 32-17.

But Barça were starting to build their counterattack. A three pointer by Basile, a 2+1 by Andre Barrett and five points on the bounce by Ilyasova created an unanswered streak of eleven which led to Basque coach Pablo Laso to call a time out at 32-28.

In the last three minutes before the hooter Barça could have got even closer, but Navarro, who is gradually getting over his back problems, saw his shot at 40-38 bounce out right on the break.

Ilyasova the key

Xavi Pascual’s men kept up the pressure and Navarro was able to equalise after a Roger Grimau assist at 42-42. In the first five minutes after the restart Barça scored 12 points to Bruesa’s two.

Barça were now much more solid and Bruesa had to turn to David Doblas and Sergio Sánchez who managed to rein in the visitors.

The game was still in the balance right up until the end, as even though Regal Barça stayed ahead on the scoreboard Bruesa kept yapping at their heels.

Ilyasova increased the gap to 57-66 after a 2+1 play, and the Turk ended with the excellent stats of 19 points and 14 rebounds for a 30 rating.

The San Sebastian outfit didn’t throw in the towel but Barça had really got it in the bag by the last three minutes.

Regal Barça now has 12 wins from 17 games and ends the first half of the season in third spot behind TAU Cerámica and Unicaja Malaga. The Catalans will learn their Cup quarter-final opponents tomorrow Monday when the draw is held in Madrid.