By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona closed the game the right way and got the 85-81 win to tie the quarterfinal playoff series of Liga Endesa to 1-1.
Ante Tomic with 19 points and crucial free throws in crunch time was the hero of the day, Petteri Koponen added 15 points, while Pau Ribas and Thomas Heurtel had 13 points each. Those three Barcelona guards closed the game with 5/6 free throws in the last seconds and sealed the deal with Heurtel missing one. Andrew Albicy scored 22 points for the losing side.
Andorra started the game with a 22-17 lead in the first quarter, but Barcelona tied the score at halftime (42-42) and got a 12-point lead with three minutes left in the third quarter (62-50).
The duo of Tomic and Heurtel led the charge for the guests, however, Andorra reacted and cut the lead to one (64-63) at the end of the third after a 13-2 run.
The last quarter opened with four straight points by Oliver Stevic who made the score 67-64 for Andorra. However, Tomic tied the score at 74 with four minutes left and scored crucial free throws giving an 80-74 lead to Barcelona with less than two minutes left. Andorra made it a four-point game (82-78) with 23 seconds left after two free throws by Jaka Blazic, but that was the best they could do.
The series returns to Barcelona and Andorra may have lost a golden chance in this game. The winner of the next game between the two teams advances to the semifinals.
Photo credit: ACB