Madrid achieved its first victory as a visitor in the Euroleague in the best possible setting: the Palau Blaugrana. Chus Mateo’s team won a monumental Classic after two overtimes. When the team felt more demanded, imperial Campazzo (18 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds) and Tavares (28 points, 18 rebounds and 2 blocks) emerged. At Barça, Punter (27 points and 4 assists) ended up being left alone too much.
Barça arrived at the Clásico bleeding in defense. Joan Peñarroya had already warned that it was a good day to start improving at the back. And in the defeats against Paris and Bayern in the previous two days, his team had conceded 103 and 100 points. The climate that a Clásico requires, no matter the heights of the season in which it is played, led Barça to show an intensity at the back that was almost unknown. Madrid was left with a measly 12 points in the second quarter to confirm that these games are unrelated to any precedent. Barcelona began to command when both coaches shook the benches and the whites’ defense lost weight. Vesely offered the first clues with his usual distance from the area to distract Tavares. The Czech had an impeccable half of the match. He scored, rebounded and his intelligence on the court made every action positive. The Blaugrana’s national quota was added to the pivot. To Scariolo’s delight, Barça changed the rhythm when Núñez, Brizuela and Parra coincided. Three of the team’s forwards propelled the local team.
The good dynamics helped Neto’s debut. The Brazilian point guard made his debut in the second quarter and his first two actions were a triple and a layup in front of Campazzo. At times he didn’t look like a newcomer. The opposite of Willy. The eldest Hernangómez appeared after Fall and barely remained on the court for three minutes in which he was irrelevant. Nothing to do with Vesely. The Czech among big men is not the biggest, he is not the strongest, he is not the fastest… but there are few smarter. His activity allowed Barça to dominate the rebound, Tavares was not comfortable and Madrid had one more reason for concern. However, Madrid’s disadvantage midway through the match was minimal (38-34).
And the person in charge of ensuring that it did not expand was Mario Hezonja. Barça was more supportive, but the Croatian cared little about that. Covered in the first two quarters, it was unleashed in the third. He went into a trance making baskets of all colors. He scored Madrid’s first twelve points and it didn’t matter that Tavares committed the third foul because he continued doing his thing. He scored 15 of Madrid’s 20 points and left Chus Mateo’s team ahead for the final stretch. In terms of Barça’s details – a block from Parra against Tavares or a triple from Vesely – Madrid offered a little bit of everything. Hezonja was on the bench so Llull, Abalde and Tavares had to appear. The differences were a matter of millimeters and if Barça faced the last 100 seconds with an advantage it was because Punter got hot. The slogan was balls to the guard and the American responded with six points in a row. A free kick from Vesely put Barcelona four ahead with a minute left. Tavares, Madrid’s most decisive player when it comes down to it, added a 2+1 to tighten the Clásico even more. The ball fell into Punter’s hands again, but he failed to score. The final seconds were nonsense. Hezonja went against the world and his action led to a jump ball. Hezonja and Parker failed to connect with any teammates. The ball was loose and reached the hands of Punter who was fouled by Musa. He made both free throws with 20 seconds left. In Madrid, Campazzo found Tavares. And with 10.2 seconds ahead, Barça led by one and had possession (72-71). It was Parker’s turn at the free throw line (74-71). The ball fell into Campazo’s hands with nine seconds left. And the Argentine did not let go. A cross between Hezonja and Campazzo confused Anderson’s defense for a moment and that was what “Facu” took advantage of to take the game to extra time.
The determining factors in the moment of truth continued to be in overtime. On one side Punter and Vesely; in the other Campazzo and Tavares. The exchange of blows left everything pending until the last minute where the only success was a free kick from Punter. A loss by Madrid, an error by Abrines from three and a missed bomb by Musa took the Clásico to the second overtime. In Madrid, Campazzo and Tavares found the help of Hezonja. Punter ran out of ammunition. Parker (3/18 in field goals) made a move to appear, but it was not his day. The Clásico was for Madrid.
And Baskonia? In Kaunas he ended his five-match losing streak. And with four minutes left in the third quarter they were down 16 points (57-41). But in the last 14 minutes of the game they went 13-42. And all after a terrible day in Markus Howard’s shooting (0/7 in triples). The solid game of Forrest, Baldwin, Rogkavopoulos, Moneke and Hall allowed Laso’s team to add its first victory in November.
90. Barcelona (17+21+14+22+10+6): Satoransky (0), Punter (27), Abrines (3), Parker (11) and Vesely (20) – starting quintet – Núñez (7), Anderson (3), Brizuela (9), Parra (2), Fall ( 2), Neto (5) and Willy (0).
97. Real Madrid (22+12+20+20+10+13): Campazzo (18), Rathan-Mayes (6), Abalde (3), Hezonja (23) and Tavares (24) – starting quintet – Ibaka (2), Musa (9), Deck (3), Feliz (3) and Llull (6).
Referees: Pukl (Esl), Pastusiak (Pol) and Racys (Lit). Núñez eliminated. Techniques to Fall and the Real Madrid bench.
Incidences: 7,223 spectators at the Palau Blaugrana. Match corresponding to the twelfth day of the Euroleague.
Twelfth day: Zalgiris Kaunas, 70-Baskonia, 83; ALBA Berlin, 85-Maccabi Tel Aviv, 103; Paris, 81-Virtus Bologna, 78; Partizan, 78-Olympiacos, 70; Barcelona, 90-Real Madrid, 97; Fenerbahçe-Armani Milan (18:45); Red Star-Bayern Munich (20:00); Panathinaikos-Monaco (20:15) and ASVEL Villeurbanne-Anadolu Efes (21:00). (All in Movistar +).
Classification (wins/losses): 1. Fenerbahce (9/2); 2. Paris (9/3); 3. Olympiacos (8/4); 4. Bayern Munich (8/3); 5. Panathinaikos (7/4); 6. Monaco (7/4); 7. Zalgiris Kaunas (7/5); 8. Barcelona (7/5); 9. Real Madrid (6/6); 10. Anadolu Efes (6/5); 11. Red Star (5/6); 12. Armani Milan (5/6); 13. Baskonia (5/7); 14. Partizan (4/8); 15. Maccabi Tel Aviv (4/8); 16. ASVEL Villeurbanne (3/8); 17. Virtus Bologna (2/10); 18. ALBA Berlin (2/10).
