FCBARCELONA.CAT

22.03.2009 15:37

Defeat in the longest match (122-117)

After four extra periods, Regal FCB have lost to Manresa in the longest game in the history of the ACB. Navarro (32 points) and Fran Vázquez (28 points) were Barça’s best players.

It wasn’t the best day to play the longest game in the history of the ACB, but these things can’t be chosen. Despite having a Euro-League game on Tuesday, Regal Barça gave their all on the Nou Congost court against Ricoh Manresa, but sadly it wasn’t enough and they lost 122-115 in a game with four extra periods

From ahead to behind

The first quarter saw Regal Barça ahead in the score all the way, though they had some problems finding the hoop, and faced a solid Manresa defence that managed to block out Juan Carlos Navarro. At one point, Barça were ten points ahead at 4-14, and they managed to finish the quarter 14-21.

In the second quarter, Manresa reduced the gap, getting to 23-26 in the 13th minute. The game became a bit deadlocked and eventually Guillem Rubio brought the score level to 37-37, with a second partial of 23-16.

Even game

The second half of the game was fairly even, with 18-17 being the partial for the third quarter and 16-17 for the last. In the last quarter however, Ricoh Manresa managed to impose themselves more, and in the 34th minute they were seven points ahead (63-56).

All square thanks to Navarro

With 28 seconds to go, Regal Barça was six points behind, but then thanks to a triple from Basile and then another from Juan Carlos Navarro brought the result to 71-71, and extra time.

Regal Barça went ahead at the outset of extra time 73-78, but a throw from Guillem Rubio and a triple from Bulfoni brought it back to all square at the end of the first period 78-78.

And second period, then a third, then a fourth...

At the end of the second extra period it was all square once again, but this time it was Ricoh Manresa who breathed a sigh of relief at the end, with Ibaka this time getting the last second draw 93-93. The third extra period also amazingly ended in a tie 108-108, this time thanks to Lubos Barton, and for the first time in the history of the ACB, a fourth period was called.

The players’ exhaustion after playing for nearly three hours was noticeable in the final period, but both sides kept on fighting. In the end, Ricoh Manresa won the day, thanks to their ability with free throws (55 of their 122 points), and the tie ended 122-117.