FCBARCELONA.CAT

12.04.2009 14:19

On a roll (86-64)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça are still on a roll and overcame Bruesa to continue challenging for the regular season top spot. Ilyasova and Vázquez were once again key in a game in which youngster Xavi Rabaseda also scored.

It looks like Xavi Pascual’s men are still riding the wave from last Thursday against Tau and this Sunday have once again played some mostly fine basketball. Fran Vázquez, who today turned out in his 250th ACB game, was outstanding with 17 points and a ranking of 26, while Ersan Ilyasova scored 15. The team didn’t miss Navarro, who followed the game closely from the bench.

Up for it

Regal Barça began the game against Bruesa as if still playing last Thursday’s match with Tau in the Euroleague. The Catalans were really up for it and with solid defence and excellent exterior shooting soon left their opponents behind. Ilyasova with three triples was the leader of Barça’s attack, with one of them giving Barça its biggest lead at 18-4 after 5’ in the quarter. The period ended with three free throws from Jaka Lakovic which left the scoreboard reading 31-16. Towards the end of the period, Rabaseda came on for Basile and Jordi Trias also had court time.

Time for all

Trias, Andersen, Sada and Basile accompanied Barrett on court. Barça’s attack was noticeably weaker but the defence stayed strong, even though the Basques used Hopkins and Roe’s experience to fire in five unanswered points to leave them behind by ‘only’ ten points (38-28).

Yet Barça still remained in laid back mode and a score by Panko with little more than four minutes to the half left Bruesa just nine points adrift (41-32). Pascual called a timeout and what he told his players obviously worked as Barça went into the break up by 53-36. In the last few seconds of the half ex-Barça player Denis Marconato came on to the court to a great ovation from his former fans.

Marconato’s points

After the restart Barça went for the inside route due the lack of height in the Bruesa defence, but after their great first half Pascual’s men lowered the tempo of the game. Bruesa didn’t throw in the towel, however, and again got back to eleven off the pace after two scores by Panko and Marconato (58-47, 25’). With Fran back on court and with the drive supplied by Roger Grimau, the Catalans again got back into a comfortable position at 65-47 in the 28th minute. At the end of the third quarter Regal Barça were still well in the lead (68-50).

Ilyasova’s stats

In the last quarter Barça controlled the game with more court time for Barrett and Trias while Ersan Ilyasova continued to boost his stats. The Turk only scored in threes, but he hit five out of five three-pointer attempts. With his fifth, Ilyasova gave Barça its biggest lead of 23 points (73-50), a gap that they achieved again minutes later through Jordi Trias, who scored five on the bounce to the approval of the Palau faithful. The final score read 86-64, including a slam dunk by Xavi Rabaseda.