15.06.2010 22:42
Regal Barca denied a perfect end to the season (79-78)
Llorenç Tarrés
A last gasp free throw from San Emeterio sent Regal Barca crashing out of the ACB final series 3-0. Despite a fantastic year which saw them win four trophies, including the Euroleague, Barca were unable to round off the season with the ACB title.
Terence Morris took the game to extra time with a last second sensational block but the truth is
that Regal Barca were always trailing on the scoreboard. Despite this they took a 70-75 lead in
extra time only to find themselves overtaken at the very last moment by Caja Laboral.
Regal Barca finish the season with four trophies and an almost universal acclaim for the
quality of their basketball while Caja Laboral have lifted their third ACB title with a surprising
3-0 victory in the final series.
Caja Laboral set the pace
Caja Laboral took an early 6-0 lead but Regal Barca soon hit back to level the score at 8-8.
Caja Laboral immediately took another four-point lead and from that
point on the home team held the initiative. Eliyahu (18 points) did a lot of damage under the
basket and once again Splitter seemed impossible to stop. The Brazilian star and Caja Laboral
captain was deservedly chosen MVP of the final.
Three-pointers
Regal Barca just couldn’t settle into their usual rhythm and by the break trailed
41-36, a small enough gap under normal conditions but the fact was that the players were struggling
to find the form they had displayed earlier in the season. In particular, their poor three-pointer
average was a serious handicap.
The third quarter was an intense affair as befits an ACB final and at the fifth attempt Regal
Barca finally pushed ahead on the scoreboard thanks to three Navarro free throws.
The fourth quarter followed the same pattern, with the two teams evenly
matched on the scoreboard. Just when Barca seemed to be slipping irretrievably behind (66-61) a
fantastic three-pointer from Navarro and a slam dunk from Morris brought the score back to level
pegging. In the dying seconds the USA star brought off an amazing block to send the game to extra
time.
San Emeterio clinches it
In extra time the game seemed to be going the way of Regal Barca when Ricky sank a
three-pointer to put Regal Barca 75-70 ahead before Teletovic catapulted Caja Laboral back into the
game. The score stood at 76-77 with just seven seconds left to play. Basile missed a free throw
(76-78) and the last attack by the home team finished with an incredible 2 +1 from San Emeterio,
handing Caja Laboral the league title and depriving Regal Barca of a perfect season.
Stats
CAJA LABORAL, 79
REGAL FCBARCELONA, 78
Caja Laboral (22+19+11+14): Huertas (9), Teletovic (8), San Emeterio (6), Splitter
(14), Oleson (7) –starting five -Ribas, (3), Palacio (4), Eliyahu (18), English (3) and
Herrman (7).
Regal (18+18+17+13): Ricky Rubio (14), Navarro (18), Morris (9), Lorbek (9),
Mickeal (16) –starting five-, Basile (1), Lakovic (2), Vázquez (2), Ndong (4), Sada (3) and
Grimau.
Officials: Hierrezuelo, Pérez Pizarro and Jiménez.