By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona made a 0-8 run down the stretch to beat Estudiantes 74 – 67 in Madrid and capture its fifth straight win in the Spanish ACB League. The Blaugrana improved to 19 – 4 and remained at the top of the standings, with one victory more than archrival Real Madrid.
Estudiantes fell at the bottom, at 5 – 18.
After a close contest the second half and with the score, 58 – 58 in the mid of the fourth period, Adam Hanga and Kyle Kuric were combined for two unanswered 3-pointers. Cory Higgins and Nikola Mirotic sealed the win Barcelona with 2/2 free throws apiece.
Estudiantes was up even by 11 points in the first half and was leading 44-35 four minutes into the third period until Barcelona unleashed a comeback attempt to go ahead 52 – 55 following consecutive points by Alex Abrines.
Mirotic finished with 17 points, Hanga posted 14 points and nine rebounds while Higgins and Kuric dropped 11 points each.
Aleksa Avramovic (18 points, seven rebounds) and Victor Arteaga (14 points, 11 rebounds) stood out from Estudiantes.
In the match that closed Day 23 in ACB, Baskonia‘s defense shut down Iberostar Tenerife 72 – 54. Dusko Ivanovic’s registered its third consecutive victory to return to the playoffs zone with 12-11.
Reigning champion Real Madrid remained in close pursuit of Barcelona by defeating Zaragoza.
Liga Endesa Day 23 Results:
Estudiantes – Barcelona 67 – 74 (Avramovic 18, Mirotic 17)
Real Madrid – Zaragoza 92 – 70 (Carroll 14, Benzig 12)
Baskonia – Iberostar Tenerife 75 – 58 (Diop 14, Shermadini 16)
Gran Canaria – Valencia 87 – 77 (Shurna 23, Doornekamp 19)
UCAM Murcia – Andorra 72 – 87 (Booker 21, Massenat 16)
San Pablo Burgos – Fuenlabrada 89 – 85 (Clark 20, Gillet 15)
Joventu Badalona – Unicaja Malaga 82 – 97 (Prepelic 18, Brizuela 20)
Manresa – Real Betis 74 – 84 (Nelson 16, Green 27)
Bilbao – Obradoiro 99 – 72 (Sulejmanovic 14, Brodziasky 18)