FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.03.2010 22:43

Regal Barca take quarterfinal lead (68-61)

Cristina Collado

Regal Barca have taken first blood in their Euroleague quarterfinal series with Real Madrid. Great performances from Ndong and Mickeal in particular helped Barca overcome a six-point deficit.

Everyone knew this game would be different from the previous meetings between the two clubs earlier in the season – and it was. Ettore Messina’s team went into the game with their homework done and prevented Regal Barca from taking an early lead. The maximum advantage for Barca in the first half was just six points and Barca’s position looked uncertain at the beginning of the third quarter. However, everything changed in the final period thanks in large part to Ndong and Mickeal.

A difficult beginning

In the first five minutes, Regal Barca opened their account through Pete Mickeal but Real Madrid soon drew level at four, then six and then nine points. Then two interventions from Ricky Rubio put Regal Barca five points ahead (14-9, min. 7). At this point both coaches began to use the bench.

In the closing minutes of the first quarter, Real Madrid took the lead for the first time in the evening (16-17) through Sergio Llull but a three-pointer from Basile put Regal Barca back in front by the end of the period (19-17). Basile continued in the same vein at the beginning of the second period and then a 2 +1 by Fran Vázquez opened up a six-point gap for Barca.

Morris injury, Real Madrid improve

However, Barca could not hold on to this advantage, partly due to a failure to dominate the offensive rebound and Real Madrid levelled the scoreboard at 31 (min. 7:30). The problems increased for the home side when Terence Morris asked to be taken off because of sever back pain. In the dying seconds of the first half, Garbajosa’s three-pointer left the scoreboard at 37-36.

The third period opened with another Mickeal basket but Real Madrid hit back instantly with two consecutive baskets to take the lead for the first time (39-49, min. 2). Lavrinovic produced a three-pointer followed by an alley-oop to stretch Real Madrid’s lead to six points - their maximum advantage (41-47).

Ndong and Mickeal make the difference

Barca, led by Boniface Ndong, took up the challenge and powered to a seven-point partial score to take the narrowest of leads (50-49). The offensive rebound was the key with Ndong taking two and Jordi Trias one. The third period ended all square 51-51.

The fourth and decisive period began with Ndong in scoring mood and the Senegalese star powered Barca back in front (57-55). However, Real Madrid continued to threaten.

Up stepped Pete Mickeal. Eight consecutive points (3+3+2) handed Barca back a five-point lead and helped freeze Real Madrid out of the scoreboard for a full six minutes. The top scorers (and principal architects of the recovery) were Ndong, with 14 points, and Mickeal, with 18. And so the first match in this quarterfinal series ended 68-61 in Barca’s favour.