By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Three days after it was eliminated from the Euroleague Final Four, Barcelona (26-3) got back on track in its Liga Endesa duties, achieving a stylish victory against Laboral Kutxa 89 – 66 to keep its hold on the first place in the standings. Meanwhile, Baskonia (20-9) remains fourth but closer to fifth Gran Canaria (19-10).
Thanks to a particularly strong second half, the Catalans blew away their opponents who found themselves unable to respond to their hosts’ strength. Tomas Satoransky provided points (16) assists (5), plus some solid defense for his team, while Samardo Samuels dropped 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
Baskonia lacked the firepower that usually characterizes its game, a thing that is also evident from the horrid 29% with which coach Perasovic’s players shot from the field. Even the best player of the team, Giannis Bourousis who registered a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, was really inaccurate since he had 6/17 shots.
If Laboral Kutxa’s problems were already many before the game, with Jaka Blazic and Fabien Causeur unable to help their team, near the end of the first quarter came the (new) injury of Adam Hanga who was forced to be sidelined for the remainder of the match.
It goes without saying that Barcelona was incredibly motivated to win, finishing the first quarter ahead in the score 17-6. Laboral Kutxa decreased its deficit for the halftime’s 37 – 30, but what happened in the second half was a different case.
The hosts made it 55 – 36 in the mid of the third quarter and they never looked back afterwards. Bourousis tried to jump start his team’s “dying” offensive engine many times, to no avail, while Barcelona was simply too determined to let the game escape its total control.