A Barça with soul wins the most unexpected match

BarcelonaThree days before the Clásico against Real Madrid, Barça secured a crucial victory on Valencia Basket's home court (62-66). Joel Parra delivered a decisive performance at the Roig Arena, where Xavi Pascual's tactics caused the home team to falter. The Catalan forward, who finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds, was responsible for a rebound and steal in the final seconds. "We've achieved an important victory. We made an extra effort to overcome the absences," he said. The Blaugrana ended a streak of four consecutive defeats. "We needed a win and we hope it will help us regain confidence. We managed to win the most unexpected game," analyzed Xavi Pascual, coach of a Barça team that was without Toko Shengelia. "They managed to impose their rhythm and we didn't control the rebounds well," acknowledged Pedro Martínez, coach of Valencia Basket.

After a tight start, Barça capitalized on a 13-0 run to take the lead at the Roig Arena (15-26). The Blaugrana's defense limited Valencia Basket's offensive output, as they missed 12 of their 15 three-point attempts in the first half. The orange-clad team managed only 33 points in the first 20 minutes (33-35).

The two coaches employed contrasting strategies. While Pedro Martínez made constant substitutions, Xavi Pascual tried to maximize his players' playing time. Barça used Joel Parra's energy and rebounding to reach the final ten minutes with a slim lead (52-53).

Valencia Basket stepped up their game at the start of the final period, when the Catalan team went three and a half minutes without scoring (58-53). Despite a tough time, Barça turned to Jan Vesely to stay in contention until the final seconds. An offensive rebound by Parra and a three-pointer by Clyburn put the Catalan side ahead (62-62). The Catalan forward stole the ball and Clyburn sealed the victory from the free-throw line.