FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.03.2009 22:05

Qualified and top of the group (90-79)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça gave Real Madrid a basketball lesson in the Palau Blaugrana as they moved ahead of their opponents at the top of Group F and mathematically assured themselves of a place in the Quarterfinal Play-Offs.

Everything went perfectly as the team performed to their best from the very start until the final hooter sounded. The hosts, just like in previous vital games against Panathinaikos or Maccabi, gave everything that they had when it mattered as Juan Carlos Navarro, with 16 points, stood out and David Andersen, with 22, led Barça to victory. As well as celebrating a win against Real Madrid and the qualification to the next phase of the Euroleague, the fans inside the Palau were also delighted to see Jaka Lakovic back in action.

From the off, when Víctor Sada netted the first of ten triples that Barcelona managed, the home team have regularly clocked up points on the electronic scoreboard. The intensity, mutual respect and incredible atmosphere within the arena was evident from the opening exchanges of what proved to be an outstanding game. Navarro continuously looked to keep the fans out of their seats with some great move, but Madrid always looked to bounce back with Llull sinking triples. Three minutes from the end of the first period it was 18-16 to Barça and very close.

The game opened up soon after when Navarro, Ilyasova and Basile all made their presence felt at the start of the second quarter, while fouls by Mumbrú on Fran Vázquez allowed two free throws and Barça were able to gain a 30-21 lead.

A comfortable lead

After a first period in which Barça positioned themselves where they wanted to be, which was playing on the counter-attack, as they comfortable controlled the rebounds, the second quarter changed. Joan Plaza's side exerted themselves even more and Real Madrid were able to, once again, force themselves back into the game at 33-26 after a 2+1 from Marko Tomas. Despite that, good defence from Vázquez on Felipe Reyes meant that the Cordoba-born centre was unable to become the determining player under the hoops that he has shown he can be on so many occasions in the past as he netted just four points in the opening 20 minutes.

The last few minutes of the second quarter saw Andersen come in to his own as the Australian ended the half with nine points and also Lakovic shone once more. The Slovenian returned after having had surgery and helped the team to a ten-point advantage at the break, 48-38.

Moving ahead

At the start of the third quarter, the points continued to pile up for Barcelona as they left Real Madrid reeling. Lubvos Barton netted a triple to put the hosts 15 points up, 62-47, and the next basket from Andersen saw that increase by two more and the Palau were able to start celebrating in some style.

Lakovic then scored a three-pointer with just over three minutes to go only for Bullock and Llull to score at the other end of give Real Madrid a faint hope of pulling themselves back into the game.

But it was not to be for the away side with Barça moving no less than 25 points in to the lead as Navarro and Andersen continued to press and when the scoreline reached 84-59 with seven minutes left, the game was all-but won. The Blaugrana took their foot off the pedal after that and Madrid came back to lessen the deficit as the encounter finished 90-79.