FCBARCELONA.CAT

04.04.2009 19:53

Total superiority (54-68)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça once again showed they are the form team, and after the famous win at Vitoria in the Euroleague, defeated Granada with ease in Saturday’s ACB League encounter.

Pascual’s side took a practical approach to the trip to Granada, against a side who are now on a 0-7 losing streak and starting at relegation in the face. Barça’s offence, led by a superlative Fran Vázquez was simply too much for the side coached by Trifón Poch.

Borchardt, under control

The game started with a fascinating duel between Curtis Borchardt and Daniel Santiago. The home star was causing immediate problems, and Pascual responded immediately with changes, sending on Fran Vázquez. Borchardt was proving tough to handle, but otherwise Granada had little to offer and Regal Barça had gone 5-10 after just four minutes.

Vázquez closed the Puerto Rican out of the game and the Catalan coach of Granada opted to call his first time out when his team were already ten adrift (5-15, min. 6). Pascual continued rotating his players, and with Thursday’s game on his mind, even handed an opportunity to youth player Xavi Rabaseda, his ACB debut. The first period ended 11-20.

Threes galore

Andersen and Barrett started the next period, and both contributed to making it 11-25 in two minutes. Basile converted another three, and the difference was now 15 (13-28). Granada then started finding their feet, and with a 9-0 streak, things were much tighter at 22-28 after 17 minutes.

But Regal Barça were not overly concerned by the home side’s resurgence, and Lubos Barton and Lakovic, the latter with Regal Barça’s seventh three pointer, made it 24-35 when the half time buzzer sounded.

Saving energy

The third period brought more of the same – a three from Ersan Ilyasova, a great score from Daniel Santiago and the Palacio Municipal de los Deportes de Granada in despair as it went 24-40 in the 22nd minute. The main stars withdrew, and this caused Granada to bounce back with a 7-0 streak (34-42, min. 26). But once again Barça did not panic and dealt superbly with the Granada zone defence to make it 40-53 going into the final period.

More rotating

Barça looked comfortable in the last ten minutes, and Pascual felt it was safe enough to send on some less regular players, such as Barrett. There was still time for more though, including a delightful Alley-Hoop from Víctor Sada to Lubos Barton (44-57, min. 34).

Granada never gave up, but there was no way they were going to beat Regal Barça playing as they were, and the Catalans were justified 54-68 winners in the end.