22.11.2008 21:16
Unicaja dominate (82-71)
Verònica Díez
Regal Barça have lost away at Unicaja by 82-71. The Catalans were unable to overcome tough opponents and went down to their third ACB defeat. However, they still remain in the top part of the table.
Xavi Pascual’s men were unable to beat a Unicaja team that was impeccable in almost aspects
of the game. The home side, with Haislip, Welsch and Ndong outstanding, controlled play throughout
the match. Though Barça did manage to get into the lead in the second quarter, in the end a
combination of a passionate home crowd and a fine performance by the team coached by Aíto García
Reneses in his 850th ACB game were enough to overcome the Catalans.
Great start from Unicaja
Unicaja came out all guns blazing at the start of the first quarter. Great defence combined
with rapid counterattacks knocked Barça off its stride, and the Catalans were also unlucky under
the basket. The home side, with Haislip leading the attack, pulled away and with just a few seconds
to go before the break N'dong made it 21 to 6 for the Malaga outfit, the biggest gap in the first
quarter.
Barça comeback
The second quarter saw a very different Regal Barça. More aggressive in
defence, more forceful in attack and with Andersen in superb form, the Catalans managed to turn the
game around. Seven points on the bounce from the Aussie (previously he’d only scored one from
the free throw line) in the second minute of the second quarter brought Barça right back into the
game (23-21).
Three minutes later free throws by Lakovic put Barça ahead for the first time (26-28). But
Unicaja continued with aggressive defence, and with Haislip orchestrating the offence went into the
halftime break up by four (36-32).
Same story
The third quarter was virtually a carbon copy of the first. The Malaga outfit came out on a
roll and soon established a lead that varied between seven and ten points. In the fifth minute
after the break, Kelati made it 51 to 34. Fine shooting by Navarro and Basile kept Barça in the
game, however, and the Italian brought the score back to 56 to 52. However, the home side were
still up by 61 to 56 at the end of the quarter.
Game decided
Although Regal Barça never threw in the towel, they were unable to turn the game around and
Unicaja used the fourth quarter to decide a match which they had controlled for just about all of
its forty minutes. Neither Andersen nor Navarro nor Lakovic – the Catalans’ MVP –
were able to counteract N’Dong and Welsch. The home side held onto their lead throughout the
final quarter to run out winners 82 to 71.
MATCH FACTS
UNICAJA DE MÀLAGA, 82
REGAL FC BARCELONA, 71
Unicaja de Màlaga (21+15+25+21): Cook (3), Kelati (10), Welsch (18), Haislip (17),
Archibald (6) – starting five - Gomis (6), Cortaberría (-), N'Dong (17), Jiménez (5)
Regal FC Barcelona (10+22+24+15): Barrett (2), Navarro (17), Barton (-), Ilyasova
(-) Santiago (4) - starting five - Basile (9), Lakovic (12), Andersen (16), Vázquez (6), Grimau
(5).
Referees: Arteaga, Guirao and Jiménez