By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
After a 20-point comeback and by making a record number of 42 out of 44 free throws, Barcelona managed to get the 111-109 overtime win over UNICS Kazan.
It was a night to remember with Rokas Jokubaitis making big plays down the stretch, Rolands Smits getting the offensive rebound after the first missed free throw of Barcelona in the game, late in overtime, and ultimately Lorenzo Brown missing at the buzzer the three that could have won the game for UNICS.
The amazing duo of Lorenzo and John Brown had a spectacular performance. Lorenzo Brown finished the game with 27 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, while UNICS captain John Brown scored 21 points and also got five steals.
However, Jokubaitis had 15 points for the winning side, giving a crucial 110-107 lead to Barcelona, Kyle Kuric had 24 points and a tone of big plays in overtime, while Nikola Mirotic was the top scorer of the winning side with 28.
As Jokubaitis said: “Right now, I cannot stop smiling because we took this victory when we were down by 20 and in Palau. It is an amazing feeling. It is a very important victory. We played very badly for three and a half quarters and to take this victory before Christmas… It would have been bad to go to the Christmas break with a loss”.
UNICS dominated the third quarter pushing their nine-point (46-37) halftime lead to 16 (55-39) and then to 20 points (71-51). Barcelona entered the last period trailing by 17 (74-57) having a hill to climb.
“The game was totally lost, but we tried to put some doubt in their heads, to get down to 10 points and in the end, we won the game, but it was very ugly for a moment for us”, admitted Barcelona coach Sarunas Jasikevicius.
The gesture
After a three by Mirotic, Barcelona cut the lead to 12 points (81-69), but Isaiah Canaan answered back with a three (84-69), making a gesture for the crowd to silence. That proved to be a turning point for the home side.
“I really haven’t seen what he has done. I can’t lie to you. But it is true that, at that time, if that gesture is as you say, It was useless. The crowd gets on top and the opposing team has another motivation. It’s useless. But I repeat that I haven’t seen it, I can not comment”, said UNICS coach Velimir Perasovic in the press conference.
Jasikevicius added: “It was a dead team, dead coach, dead crowd … Until a player makes a gesture and the gym wakes up. He has done it in other games. We had seen it in Tel Aviv. I don’t think it’s a bad gesture, it’s normal when you’re winning like this at the Palau. NBA style “.
Barcelona kept the pressure and thanks to a three by Kyle Kuric, two free throws by Mirotic, and also a steal and a layup by Nicolas Laprovittola made it a four-point game (88-84) with two minutes left.
The Catalans finished the game with a 10-6 run with Mirotic making three crucial free throws after a highly debatable call and Lorenzo Brown missing an open mid-range shot that could have won it for UNICS as the two sides went to overtime (94-94).
Canaan scored in total 20 points but missed two crucial free throws in the overtime on a play that could have turned the tide for UNICS. Mario Hezonja added 18 points for the losing side, which has a solid 10-7 record, while Barcelona remains at the top of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 15-2 record.
“We just gave them the game. We let their pressure get us out of rhythm in the fourth. We tried to fight back, but it wasn’t enough”, admitted John Brown.