A brave Barça takes a game to remember for years

BarcelonaGreat game at the Roig Arena. After recovering from a 14-point deficit, Barça beat Valencia Basket in overtime in one of the best games ever seen in the ACB League finals (112-113). The Catalan team, which achieved the record for three-pointers in a play-off (19), went from less to more on a night when veterans Will Clyburn and Nico Laprovittola became the Culer heroes.

"We played bravely and with our style. We managed to finish the game well in overtime," analyzed Xavi Pascual. The coach had the absence of Tomás Satoransky, but Laprovittola knew how to interpret the game his team needed well.

The match pitted the two ACB teams that have arrived best at the end of the season against each other. Valencia Basket started better against a Barça with a changed foot (15-4). The home defense worsened the proposal of an imprecise Catalan team that wasted too many free throws. The blaugrana team only scored 5 of the 19 shots it attempted during a not very hopeful first quarter (25-13).

Valencia Basket's advantage grew to 14 points (40-26), at which point Barça hit rock bottom. The blaugrana team improved its offensive performance to get back into the game. Joel Parra and Kevin Punter led the visiting reaction (47-44). The match heated up and the culers players raised their voices to complain about the toughness of the orange team, which reached halftime with a 5-point lead (52-47).

Pascual, very intelligently, intensified his play in the low post. The strategy served him to improve his effectiveness in attack and to control the rhythm. A 2-11 run turned the scenario around (54-57). Barça took advantage of Will Clyburn's inspiration and Toko Shengelia's good work to step onto the Roig Arena court with personality. The blaugrana team reached the last ten minutes with a three-point lead (72-75).

Laprovittola appeared when his team needed him most. The Argentine scored 10 points in just 5 minutes, but the locals arrived with an advantage in the last two minutes (95-90). When Barça seemed to have lost the situation, two three-pointers from Clyburn tied the game with 3.7 seconds left. Furthermore, the forward blocked Kam Taylor's last shot (101-101).

In overtime, Barça took advantage of a 2+1 from Joel Parra to take the initiative. Kam Taylor missed the decisive shot at the buzzer. "The game was a coin toss," acknowledged Pedro Martínez.

The second game of the final will be played, again at the Roig Arena, this Saturday (8 p.m., DAZN).