By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona used a 1-10 run down the stretch to overcome Breogan 74 – 78 and get back to wins after back-to-back losses in both the ACB and EuroLeague. The Blaugrana are now 8-3 while Breogan fell to 5-6.
Nikola Mirotic scored a team-high 16 points to lead Barcelona, including a key 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining for the 71 – 77. Justus Hollatz answered with the same currency and Kyle Kuric made 1-2 from the line. Breogan then missed in back-to-back 3-point attempts in the same play as the game reached its end.
In a very close match from start to finish, Breogan was up 66 – 64 with six minutes remaining. Mirotic and Nikola Kalinic combined for seven unanswered points and then Nicolas Laprivitolla added three points of his own to put Barcelona ahead 68-74.
Breogan hadn’t made a basket for over five minutes until Scott Bamforth scored in transition for the 71 – 74. That was the closest they got.
Laprovittola dropped 13 points while 18-year-old James Nnaji scored a career-high 12 points on 5-6 shots over 16:18 for Barcelona.
Hollatz finished with 16 points and Bamforth had 12 points for Breogan.
Round 11 in Spain included some changes in the standings since Tenerife lost to Badalona and is now sharing the top spot with Real Madrid. The latter overpowered Manresa at home behind veteran Fabien Causeur’s 20 points.
Markus Howard made some shooting history with Baskonia by setting a new club record for 3-pointers as his team grabbed a blowout road win over Gran Canaria.
ACB 2022-23 Round 11 Results:
Fuenlabrada – Unicaja Malaga 85 – 117
UCAM Murcia – Real Betis 76 – 72
Zaraogza – Granada 73 – 57
Joventut Badalona – Lenovot Tenerife 78 – 69
Real Madrid – BAXI Manresa 103 – 89
Valencia – Girona 104 – 69
Rio Breogan – Barcelona 74 – 78
Gran Canaria – Baskonia 68 – 96
Bilbao – Obradoiro 77 – 80
Standings: Tenerife 9 – 2, Real Madrid 9 – 2, Malaga 8 – 3, Barcelona 8 – 3, Baskonia 8 – 3