By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening a best-of-three series of the Liga Endesa Quarterfinals, FC Barcelona defeated Lenovo Tenerife, 96-86, in Palau Blaugrana.
Scoring seven of a team-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, 29-year-old forward Jabari Parker fueled a win in Game 1 on Sunday. Alex Abrines followed with 19 points, including six of the winning side’s 13/26 three-pointers. Jan Vesely chipped in ten points, five rebounds, and two blocks for the team guided by Roger Grimau.
Despite tying his individual best across all competitions in the 2023-24 season with 34 points, Kyle Guy was held to three points in the fourth period as the defending ACB champions steadily created a safe separation. Marcelinho Huertas posted a 17-point, 10-assist double-double and Fran Guerra finished with 13 points.
Remaining on the injury list for head coach Txus Vidorreta, Jaime Fernandez, Giorgi Shermadini, and Aaron Doornekamp were unavailable for the visitors. Oriol Pauli was a healthy scratch for Barca.
Second-seeded Real Madrid awaits the winner of the series in the next round of the 2024 ACB Playoffs. Regardless of the next opponent, Los Blancos will have homecourt advantage in a best-of-five series set to tip off following the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.
ACB Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best-of-three)
A – Unicaja – BAXI Manresa 1-0 (87-79)
B – Valencia – UCAM Murcia 0-1 (86-96)
C – Real Madrid – Dreamland Gran Canaria 2-0 (105-70, 73-71)
D – FC Barcelona – Lenovo Tenerife 1-0 (96-86)
Semifinals (best-of-five)
Winners A-B
Real Madrid – Winner D
Finals (best-of-five)
Winners of Semifinals
Photo Credit: ACB