By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
There are no more undefeated teams in the EuroLeague after Barcelona defeated Crvena zvezda in Belgrade.
After an epic 45 minutes in the Serbian capital, Kevin Punter was the decisive factor for the Catalan team, scoring crucial points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“My teammates believe in me, they got me the ball. We stuck together. Those guys made a run, but we stayed together, believed in each other, and were able to pull it out,” Punter said to Meridian sport.
As a former Partizan captain who led many battles against Crvena zvezda, Punter knows how tough it can get playing in front of their fans.
“It’s hard playing here. We got a road win, which was crucial. Those guys made a run, playing good basketball. We showed a lot of character and adversity to come out on top. It feels good.”
It seems the pieces are falling into place for Barcelona after their fifth straight win in both competitions, and their third in the EuroLeague.
“It’s good. You don’t get too high or too low. We’re still trying to find areas to improve and continue to grow. So far, it’s solid, but we have another level to reach.”
Crvena zvezda was the only team with a chance to remain perfect after four rounds, but Barcelona ended that, joining them, Fenerbahce, Monaco, and Zalgiris at the top with a 3-1 record.
“Their team is always solid. They know how to control games and are always physical. I’ve played against three or five different versions of them, and they are always a solid team from top to bottom,” Punter said about Crvena zvezda’s strong start to the season.
He admits that it felt good coming back to Belgrade, where he previously played briefly for Crvena zvezda and for the last three seasons with Partizan.
“It feels cool. This is one of the longest places I’ve stayed in my career, in terms of countries, so it’s nice to see a lot of old places and some friends. Outside of basketball, it’s nice revisiting some spots I used to go to,” Punter concluded after his best game in a Barcelona jersey so far.