Brizuela pulls Barça out of an unexpected mess

BarcelonaA mentally exhausted Barça needed a basket from Darío Brizuela with 2.3 seconds remaining to win a game they were leading by 12 points with 10 minutes left. The Basque shooting guard, who scored 25 points, had a decisive performance in Barça's victory against Dubai Basketball (91-89). a rival against whom he had lost in the first roundAlexa Avramovic missed the three-pointer that would have turned the game around.

After missing all 16 of his shots in the last two games, Kevin Punter returned to his usual form. The American shooting guard scored 20 points in the first of three demanding games for the Catalan team this week. Barça emphasized the collective play that Xavi Pascual demands, dishing out 21 of their 22 assists during the first three quarters. "We had a big lead, but we made some incredible mistakes and the game changed, and we were only able to score 12 points in the last period," the coach analyzed.

Despite some individual defensive errors, Barça used the second quarter to open up a gap on the scoreboard. The Catalan team created good shots and went into halftime with a solid lead (49-41). In the third quarter, Brizuela's performance, scoring 14 points in ten minutes, punished Dubai Basketball's chances, who, despite trailing by 12 points, didn't give up. McKinley Wright became a headache for the home defense, and the visitors tied the game with four minutes remaining (83-83).

Barça was more efficient in the final seconds, with Brizuela scoring and Avramovic missing. "After the defeat against Madrid on Friday, it was a game we had to win," said the Basque shooting guard.

The Catalan model as a reference

Dubai Basketball employs 10 Catalans within its sporting, commercial, and communications structure. The UAE team visited the Catalan Basketball Federation (FCBQ) on Monday, seeking to export the successful Catalan model. The goal is to develop a strategic plan and establish collaborative relationships between the two organizations.