FCBARCELONA.CAT

30.03.2010 23:28

A win to put Paris in sight (73-84)

Cristina Collado

Like awakening from a bad dream, Regal Barça have recovered their game and beaten Real Madrid in game three of the best-of-five Euroleague quarter final series. They’re just one win away from Paris.

Regal Barça attacked from the first minute after stealing a lost Madrid ball. It was a sign of things to come. Everything they got wrong in the first two games went right in the second, and that was despite Real Madrid scoring the first 3 points. From there, Barça were solid in defence and Juan Carlos Navarro’s early points gave Regal Barça the confidence they needed.

Tomic, the best player in game two, scored 5 of his team’s opening 6, but Regal Barça immediately singled him out for man marking and he didn’t scored again. From 7-4 down, Regal Barça made it into the lead.

Biggest lead of the series

What followed was extraordinary. Barça scored 15 to no reply and their 12 point lead was the biggest of the series so far (7-19, min 7), mainly thanks to two minutes of tremendous perimeter throws. Navarro, Morris and Ricky also claimed threes, and Real Madrid were in tatters. Hanse led a timid response, but the period ended with Regal Barça ahead 14-25.

A Garbajosa three in the first Regal Barça attack of the second period was followed by another from Lakovic. Madrid coach Messina called a desperate timeout after just 56 seconds. Something wasn’t going right for the all-whites.

Navarro, 100% effective

Pascual took the chance to send on Boniface Ndong, who’d played so well in game one. This time he did the same. 9 points and 1 block, while Juan Carlos Navarro conjured up a couple of threes, not missing a throw in the whole half (3/3 and 2/2) to total 13 points.

The 14,000 in the packed pavilion did their best to encourage a comeback, and the 8-0 from the home side reduced the gap to +15 at half time (31-46).

Evenly matched

Real Madrid worked hard in defence after the break, and Regal Barça’s scoring rate dropped off. The gap closed to +11. Tomic was back on top of his game, aided by Sergi Llull, but Regal Barça managed to maintain the psychological barrier of 10 points and ended the period +11 (50-61).

The final period started awfully for Regal Barça. Real Madrid got four in a row to come within seven (54-61, min. 1). A Terence Morris triple widened the gap again, but Madrid had sniffed victory and a tense finish was expected. However, Barça coolly put together 6 points to Madrid’s 2, and were way out in front again.

Pete Mickeal, as he did in the first game, proved decisive in the last period with 9 points, and Juan Carlos Navarro ended the show with a spectacular three to take his tally up to 24, for an overall evaluation of 29.

The win puts Regal Barça within one victory of Paris. Game four is on Thursday at 19:00, once again in Vistalegre.