Barça collapse in Bologna in 100 seconds to forget
The Blaugrana team has suffered four defeats in their last five European matches.
BarcelonaA Barcelona team lacking the resources to maintain consistency lost on the court of Virtus Bologna (85-80). Mistakes in the final 100 seconds prevented the Catalan side from securing the victory. The Blaugrana, who have been showing signs of extreme fatigue for weeks, have now suffered four defeats in their last five European games. Kevin Punter's 27 points weren't enough. Dusko Ivanovic was without Daniel Hackett and Alessandro Pajola at point guard, leaving Luca Vildoza as the only true playmaker. The coach, who effectively punished Barça's defensive switches, found tactical alternatives to bolster his team's chances. Carsen Edwards dominated Virtus Bologna's offense during a first quarter in which the Italian team struggled to limit the scoring of Kevin Punter and Toko Shengelia. Barça capitalized on their high shooting percentages to build a 10-point lead (18-28).
Dominance on the boards fueled the hopes of a Catalan team that displayed focus in Bologna. Their energy waned as the minutes ticked by. The opponent sped up their game and took advantage of the good work of Alen Smailagic and Luca Vildoza to recover and turn the score around. Virtus scored 27 points during a second quarter in which the feeling was very different (47-43).
Virtus, a team with less talent but more organization than most EuroLeague teams, played intelligently. The Italians dished out plenty of assists, which ensured high shooting percentages. The reward was a 14-point lead against a Barça team that missed the contribution of some key players (68-54).
The visitors' comeback paid off, and Barça turned the game around with two minutes remaining (79-80). The Blaugrana couldn't finish the job in the final stretch, where Carsen Edwards made the difference and Laprovittola and Punter's three-pointers (two) missed.
For the calendar
The schedule offers a brief respite for the teams, as there are no Liga Endesa games this weekend. Toko Shengelia and Juani Marcos have commitments with their respective national teams, but the rest will be able to recover from the fatigue of recent weeks.
