BarcelonaBarça took advantage of the inertia of the classic to beat Asvel Villeurbanne (84-71) and chained two consecutive victories. The Barça team dominated with authority a match that brought together personalities of the level of Tony Parker or Pep Guardiola at the Palau Blaugrana. Without a solid defense, the French team did not bother the locals.
Nikola Mirotic (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Nico Laprovittola (20 points) were the top local players. “We played a good game, especially at the beginning. We dominated the game in defense,” said the Montenegrin center-back. “Playing a game after a victory as emotional as Sunday’s was not easy, but we played a good game,” said Sarunas Jasikevicius, Barça coach.
Saras had the casualties of Sertac Sanli, Pierre Oriola and Àlex Abrines. The Lithuanian coach made up for the loss of the Turkish pivot with more prominence for the young James Nnaji, who was a starter, and with specific moments in which Rolands Smits, Nikola Mirotic and Nigel Hayes-Davis occupied the position of five. The coach also reintroduced Dante Exum into the rotation.
Nico Laprovittola and Nikola Mirotic scored the first 13 points of a Barça that took a short time to build a difference of 13 points (26-13) against a rival that took a long time to organize a solid defense. The biggest difference in the first half was 17 points (36-19). Elie Okobo, who picked up the scoring pace, led the reaction attempt of a French team that came to the break with a 15-point disadvantage (45-30).
Laprovittola scored 12 points in a very inspiring third quarter. Asvel Villeurbanne used Moustapha Fall judiciously and improved their offensive production, but Barça did not reduce their production and this allowed them to increase the difference to 25 points (84-59). The visiting team never had a chance of victory at the Palau Blaugrana. A final score of 0-12 made up for the result, but the local victory was never in jeopardy (84-71).
La Penya, in Fuenlabrada
Joventut de Badalona, Barça’s next rival, will play this Friday (8.30 pm, Movistar Deportes) on the Urbbas Fuenlabrada court. La Penya is facing the game in a great moment of form and expecting a victory that will allow it to finish the first round among the top four and, therefore, be the series leader in the Copa del Rey de Granada. Carles Duran will be able to count on the entire staff.