By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Justin Doellman’s two-pointer at the buzzer gave Barcelona a big victory against Real Madrid in the Spanish “El Classico” (86-87). The American power-forward was unstoppable with 24 points (6/6 from the three-point range) and helped the “Blaugrana” come back from a 16-point deficit (48-32).
Real Madrid entered the last minute of the match in front by five (85-80), but a pair of free throws from Pau Ribas let the visitors tie the game (85-85), with nine seconds to go. Felipe Reyes hit one free throw (86-85), bringing the Madrid squad close to the win, however it was Doellman that had the final word and secured Barcelona’s triumph on the road.
For the winners, who claimed their second victory in group F (2-2), Stratos Perperoglou scored 13 points, being tremendous in the third quarter. On the other hand, Sergio Rodriguez made an impressive double-double (18 points, 13 assists), with four more players scoring in double figures for the losing squad, which suffered its second defeat (2-2).
Despite Barcelona’s tremendous start to the game (2-10), Real Madrid quickly came back and went on an amazing 18-0 run to take a double-digit advantage (20-10), as the first quarter ended with the “Whites” in front by 10 (27-17). Later, the situation remained the same, as both teams played well offensively, with the hosts managing to retain a double-digit lead at the end of the first half (48-37).
In the second half, though, things changed. Although Real seemed to have everything under control (54-45), Barcelona turned things upside down. With Perperoglou exploding offensively and scoring 13 points in the third quarter, Xavi Pascual’s players went on a 9-17 run to cut the deficit to just one, after 30 minutes in the game (63-62).
In the fourth quarter, no team could take a significant advantage (69-71, 71-73, 81-80), with Rodriguez and Gustavo Ayon giving their team a five-point lead (85-80), one minute before the end of the game. However, Doellman’s three-pointer, two free-throws from Pau Ribas and the American player’s two-point shot at the buzzer helped Barcelona triumph in Madrid.