FCBARCELONA.CAT

20.12.2008 21:41

Best Christmas present (87-67)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça have defeated Madrid. Xavi Pascual’s men have handed out another basketball lesson, this time against their traditional rivals who they beat by 20 points. Outstanding performances in the game came from Andersen, Navarro and Sada.

The numbers don’t lie. Regal FC Barcelona outplayed Madrid in all four quarters, got more rebounds and once again broke the 100 barrier in overall ranking points. Apart from the first period when Madrid managed to open up a six point lead at 12-18, Barça were always ahead. The ‘Palau factor’ was yet again of enormous help as the home fans created a spectacular atmosphere.

Only even quarter

The first period was the only one in which Real Madrid really faced up to the Catalans, even taking a six point lead at 12 to 18 after Marko Tomas scored an excellent three-pointer. But with Andersen on court Barça came roaring back and ended the quarter narrowly on top at 27 to 24, with a final three-pointer from Juan Carlos Navarro. The best player for the visitors was Felipe Reyes.

Building a lead

In the second quarter, with Fran Vázquez playing particularly well, the Catalans began to build a lead (36 to 27, 16th min). Superb Barça defence combined with the marshalling influence of Víctor Sada – who racked up 12 assists – ramped up the excitement level at the Palau by the minute. Towards the end of the quarter, Pascual brought on Barrett so as to give Sada a rest and just before the break David Andersen fired home another three-pointer to make it 44-33.

Ilyasova triple shows the way

A three-pointer halfway through the third quarter by the Turk showed his teammates the way to go and the prospect of what seemed to be an increasingly comfortable victory (57-41). Before then Sada had scored a three pointer and Navarro a two and one. Reyes and Mumbrú were the best players for the visitors who began to lose shape as the game wore on. At the end of the third period (21-14), Barça were ahead by 65 to 47.

20+ again

The last period was a lesson in how to play basketball. In spite of Santiago’s fourth foul, the team stayed focussed with Grimau leading the way. Madrid coach Plaza could only look on as his team was shown how to play. Andersen came back towards the end of the game and ran the Madrid defence ragged. Unfortunately in this last period Axel Hervelle broke his nose, and after being attended to by the head of Barça’s medical services had to spend the night in Barcelona.