euroleague day 25
barca
AS Monaco
Satoransky goes in the basket against Brown JOSEP LAGO (AFP)
Barcelona needed a boost after the slap in the cup – lost to Unicaja in the quarter-finals – and have already discarded the second title of the course after also falling in the Super Cup. And well, a win over Monaco (80-70), their immediate rival in the Euroleague and a rival that made him shudder and regain his fears, was a vitamin worth those who declare the Catalans are deadly when it is it’s about finishing the job. rule by foot to foot But the Palau’s energy, combined with the hands of Satoransky and Higgins in the final act, was enough to keep the terror there for Barça to spiral into third place, with the consequent advantages there guaranteed for the playoffs factor Court would be for facing the last post before the long-awaited Final Four.
Monaco soon explained that while he had inches left in the paint, he lacked skill and wrist as the rebounds didn’t convert them into the required points. A penalty that punishes Abrines from the start, from which Perimeter, Reception, Jump and Chof toned. A good alarm clock for Barcelona, even if Jasikevicius insists behind the scenes that setbacks don’t diminish Barca’s bubbly state, even as he later orders physical doubles sessions and also a twinning lunch at La Masia to serve as glue for the rest of the year the league and the euroleague are now coming a little more on track.
The Principality’s team has in Mike James a player who looks like three because, although he walks with measured abandon, as if the world doesn’t care, with the ball in his hands he is the conductor, also the assistant and above all , the scorer, limit for each attack with the flourish and flag show. But Abrines was effective, backed by Satoransky and a Mirotic trying to take color and shape as the minutes went by, always to the beat of Laprovittola’s tango. But the real difference came in the second session, with the Barça wardrobe finding the sharp version of Higgins, the energy of Jakubaitis, the goal of Kalinic and above all the long-awaited authority of Vesely, the break with a baggy difference reach (50-39).
Nothing new in a team of breakouts and inspirations. The question, also Jasikevicius’ mistake since he took over the bench, was whether the team can hold the differences without going through difficulties. And although Abrines and Sanli opened the curtain again with threes, Barça struggled to find comfortable shooting positions and demolish Monaco’s defensive framework, more intense, more gallant, more committed. So what was on the track during the break got tangled up over the minutes until finally James, Loyd and Diallo were up to mischief in the rival ring. The countdown was worrying: eight points, six, five and even three… (65-62), with no news from Mirotic or Laprovittola. Monaco grew while Barça and the difference in lighting diminished, again with fears of seeing the Catalans’ repeated daze and lack of character at key moments. But Satoransky came on and Higgins seconded him to lower the soufflé, giving Barça an energetic triumph.
BARCELONA 80 – MONACO 70
Barcelona: Satoransky (15), Laprovittola (5), Abrines (9), Mirotic (7) and Sanli (5) – starting at five -; Vesely (12), Kalinic (8), Higgins (12), Tobey (2), Kuric (0) and Jokubaitis (5).
Monaco: James (14), Loyd (13), Brown (6), Diallo (13) and Motiejunas (5) – starting at five -; Okobo (9), Moneke (0), Blossomgame (4), Ouattara (0) and Hall (6).
Referee: Matej Boltauzer, Tomislav Hordov and Piotr Pastusiak (Slovenia).
Palau Blaugrana. 6,840 spectators.
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