FCBARCELONA.CAT

07.12.2008 14:30

Cajasol refuse to give in easy (68-74)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça have beaten Cajasol on the road in a tight match that wasn’t decided until the final period. Basile was outstanding on a day in which Barça’s interests were given a boost by Kalise’s loss in Badalona.

David Andersen (15 points) and Ersan Ilyasova (14 points and an evaluation of 18) also posted fine stats in a game in which Xavi Pascual’s side went in at the break with a slender three-point lead. After the restart the home side went five up (42-37) but saw that lead cut to nothing by three pointers from Ilyasova and Basile. The Italian was also providential in defence.

Grimau leads the way

Neither side was particularly outstanding in the first period. The game was already three minutes old when Cajasol opened the scoring through two free throws from former CB Girona man, Tyrone Ellis. The side coached by Pedro Martínez, the recent replacement for Manel Comas, dominated long periods of the quarter until a three pointer from Ilyasova made it 10-0 and Xavi Pascual called time out to make a few changes. Captain Roger Grimau’s entrance gave his side new strength and the first period ended at 13-15. The bad news was the withdrawal through injury of Barton, who took a nasty knock.

6-0 streak for the home side

In the second period, with Vázquez and Basile now on, Barça continued to impress and marched into an eight-point lead following a three from Andersen (17-25). From here the home side, boosted by Dejuan Collins, strung together six in a row and regained the lead (27-26), following on from a score from ex-Barça man Triguero. At the end of this period, however, yet another three pointer from Andersen, his second, paved the way to Barça’s win by making it (32-35).

Cajasol lose gas

In the final period, Navarro came on to score to make it 50-55, a hopeful scoreline against a side suffering from absentees, but that still had the courage to believe in its lessening opportunities. Ilyasova, with eight points just on that period, David Andersen, with five and Gianluca Basile, with seven, ended up sentencing the game despite several adversities, and having to suffer right up until the final buzzer. Even Ellis managed a three pointer with just sixteen minutes left, which meant there was still at least some option for the home side (68-71). But it all concluded with a 68-74 road win for Regal FC Barcelona.