By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Playing without Toko Shengelia on paper the chances of Virtus for beating Barcelona were slim.
In the end, however, the Italians won 86-81 as Isaia Cordinier had a career-high night.
The French swingman with 24 points, six rebounds, and seven assists made things happen in a game to remember.
“As coach Ivanovic said, the most important for us is to fight and I am just happy that I got to hand the team the win tonight”, said Cordinier after the final buzzer.
Ante Zizic added 12 points for the winners, while Barcelona got 21 points from Jabari Punter and 17 from Kevin Punter which were not enough.
Virtus remains near the bottom of the standing with a 4-13 record, while Barcelona dropped to 9-8.
Closing the right way
Despite Virtus’s 25-13 first quarter, the game was a dogfight. The hosts led just by one point (35-34) at halftime, and the score was tied at 65 at the end of the third.
With the game on the line and the lead constantly changing, Barcelona entered the last minute leading by one (81-80) after a shot by Parker.
Cordinier took the ball against Vesely and returned the lead to Virtus (82-81). In the next play, Kevin Punter got the ball but Alessandro Pajola stole the ball, and Cordinier with one of two free throws made the score 83-81 with 27 seconds left.
In the next play, Cordinier forced Dario Brizuela to travel and Pajola was fouled with just 12 seconds on the clock. He made one of two (84-81), Parker missed the last chance of Barcelona, and Punter fouled Clyburn.
The refs gave an unsportsmanlike, Clyburn got injured and Marco Belineli made two free throws to seal the deal (86-81).
Photo credit: EuroLeague