By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Through an excellent defensive effort for the majority of the fourth period, Spain defeated Croatia 79 – 73, stayed perfect and mathematically “locked” the top of Group C in the EuroBasket’s preliminary stage.
Ricky responded: Ricky Rubio wasn’t only the top scorer (13 points) and performer (18 PIR) for Spain but also hit a pair of decisive free throws that put his team in a pole position in crunch time. When his opponents intentionally fouled him, hoping that he would at least miss one shot from the line, he drained 2/2 and made it 69 – 72 with 27 seconds remaining.
It wasn’t much of an advantage but proved sufficient for Spain basically cashed in on it to remain ahead and force Croatia to send them at the line for the remainder of the match. The last effort of Croatia to get close in the last seconds, a drive by Bojan Bogdanovic with the scored being 74-71 for Spain, was blocked by Juancho Hernangomez.
Dario and Bojan were not enough: Bojan Bogdanovic (15 points) got energized in the beginning of the second half after finishing the first with 0/5 and Dario Saric (18 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals) had one of his traditional all-around performances for Croatia. But they ran out of juice down the stretch, particularly Dario. Croatia’s offense became stagnant and predictable something that Spain easily exploited to turn the 63 – 62 to 63 – 68 with 2:40 remaining thanks to five points by Sergio Rodriguez (12 points, 4 assists).
They didn’t look back after that.
The foul that lit the fuse: Croatia had huge problems connecting to the basket but found some precious points after a foul by Pau Gasol (11 p. 10 r.) and the protests by the Spurs center and Sergio Scariolo that brought two technicals. Saric hit 4/4 from the line and his team approached 67-68 with 1:32 left. Still, coach Aco Petrovic’s players couldn’t catch a break despite renewing their offense twice in same play that followed.
Chacho made the 67 – 70 in transition and his teammates kept being almost perfect from the line afterward.
(Photo credit: FIBA.basketball)