An unexpected hero keeps Barça alive
The Blaugrana team took advantage of Willy Hernangómez's performance to overcome Monaco and force a fourth match of the tie.
BarcelonaBarça responded to Monaco's rout and avoided elimination quickly (100-89). The Blaugrana corrected the mistakes of the first two matches of the tie and earned a crucial victory. The Catalans overcame adversity to compete like never before against an opponent on the wrong foot. Affected by the schedule and the clash with the Champions League, the match only drew 5,837 spectators at the Palau Blaugrana.
"We improved our energy, our defense, and our desire to win. The tie isn't over until one team wins three matches," analyzed Joan Peñarroya. The coach, who was without Jan Vesely, knew how to emphasize the role of some of the supporting players. Willy Hernangómez had played some good matches in the Barça shirt, but none on such a significant day. The Madrid center had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 fouls. "It was an important game for us, and we earned the chance to extend the series. I tried to give my best, but we haven't finished the job yet," he said.
Monaco put the fear in the first quarter, in which the visitors' lead reached six points (18-24). They altered their effectiveness (24-27). Barça's response was overwhelming. The home team ran up a 20-2 run that turned the score around (44-29). With ease, the home team took advantage of the 27 points scored during the second quarter to add 51 points in 20 minutes and went into the break with an optimistic outlook.
Monaco improved their defensive performance during a third quarter in which the deficit narrowed (74-66). Barça didn't give up any ground against an opponent who tried a thousand and one ways to close out the tie quickly. The Barça team's solid defense prevented the Monegasque opponent from continuing their efforts. The inspiration of Parker and Punter, who concentrated his 14 points in the second half, helped secure the home side's victory. "Conceding so many points makes it impossible to win," Spanoulis summed up.
Fourth game
With no time to rest, Barça and AS Monaco will play the fourth game of the Euroleague quarterfinals this Friday (8:45 p.m.).