13.06.2009 20:13
TAU draw the final (75-67)
Sònia de Alba
Barça Regal were unable to take a two-game lead in the final of the Liga ACB as they were beaten by TAU despite pushing until the end of the game, but the hosts were able to draw level in the series .
It proved to be another intense game which was not determined until the last few minutes and the
Blaugranacould well have edged it instead of their opponents.
In the final four minutes, the Barça side were unable to find the points that they required
to have won the game and, despite Lakovic doing what he could, they could just not reach the
basket.
Palau next
Now the Palau will be the setting for the third encounter between the teams and the Catalan
fans will pack in to the arena to support Xavi Pascual and his players.
Despite not starting with Tiago Splitter in
their team, TAU began strongly and their strong defence forced Barça into making mistakes and Dusko
Ivanovic's players and moved ten points clear (19-9) with a minute and a half from the end of the
first quarter. In fact, the home team were able to move eleven points clear before the end.
Juan Carlos Navarro was showing flashes of form as the 29-year-old netted seven points.
Barça bounce back
Pete Mickael was contributing more for TAU than
he had managed in the first game as the Basque Country outfit sought to maintain their healthy
advantage and they were able to as both teams exchanged triples early in the second quarter.
Pascual's side did raise their game and start applying pressure that saw them net eight
points without replay, which included a triple from Sada and basket from Ersan Ilyasova which
incredibly saw Barça go 26-27 ahead.
TAU then lost Mirza Teletovic as he went up for a rebound with Roger Grimau after a shot by
Ilyasova , but they did not see their level drop any further and they were able to edge back into
the game and draw level before the half-time break (33-33).
Good support
Teletovic came out after the break and returned to action and that caused the home fans to
celebrate in the stands and as the hosts lifted their play, Barça responded too.
Jaka Lakovic was sent flying after a challenge
as the intensity of the rose even higher and the force was astonishing to see at times. The
Slovenian star suffered a slight cut to his head after the fall, while Igor Rakocevic also picked
up a slight knock.
Ivanovic then made various changes to relieve such players as Prigioni while Vidal took
responsibility going forward and Fernando San Emeterio played his first minutes of the final.
With half an hour of the game gone, TAU took a five-point lead at 54-49.
Points shy
Barça's inability to score for three minutes and 45 seconds in the last quarter was to cost
them as their first basket did not come until 6 minutes 15 seconds in. Four points from Splitter
and eight from Rakocevic netted eight, to take his tally to 22, and they were to win by eleven
points, (68-57).
Match stats
TAU CERÀMICA, 75
REGAL FC BARCELONA, 67
TAU Ceràmica (20+13+21+21): Prigioni (16), Rakocevic (22), Teletovic (3), Mickeal
(19), McDonald (5), starting five – Vidal (2), Lucas (-), San Emeterio (2), Splitter (6),
Baldo (-)
Regal FC Barcelona (12+21+16+18): Lakovic (8), Navarro (21), Ilyasova (5),
Andersen (9), Santiago (2) – starting five – Basile (9), Trias (-), Vázquez (6), Sada
(7), Grimau (-)
Referees: Arteaga, De la Maza, Pérez Pizarro