Joan Peñarroya fails to unsettle Barça

BarcelonaTwo months after being fired from BarçaJoan Peñarroya returned to the Palau Blaugrana. The Partizan coach from Terrassa, who was greeted with applause, couldn't prevent another defeat for the Euroleague's bottom-ranked team (88-70). The Catalan team overcame a seven-point deficit to secure another victory and confirm the positive momentum since the arrival of Xavi Pascual, whose decisions seem to be paying off. Every move he makes is a success. Pascual welcomed back Darío Brizuela in a game without a clear hero. The victory was a collective effort. Barça improved as the game progressed and capitalized on his 21 assists. Jabari Parker was largely anonymous in his return to Barcelona.

Barça didn't start the night with the defensive intensity of recent weeks, and Partizan took advantage to get off to a good start. The Blaugrana team only managed six shots in a first quarter plagued by low efficiency and too many turnovers (13-20). Unable to find their range from three-point range, the Catalan team struggled to find their offensive rhythm. Greater offensive patience and their opponent's lack of defensive commitment allowed the home team to score 28 points in 10 minutes and go into halftime with a comfortable lead (41-35).

Improved since the arrival of Cameron Payne and Tonye Jekiri, Partizan displayed talent, but lacked consistency in their collective efforts, a weakness that led to Zeljko Obradovic's resignation a few weeks ago. Barça started the third quarter with more energy, which opened up a gap on the scoreboard, as the Serbian team went three minutes without scoring (48-35). When they tightened their defense, the Blaugrana were able to increase their transitions and impose their pace of play (62-50).

Vesely, at the key moment

After a strangely unproductive stretch of the game, Jan Vesely made his usual contribution to a team that isn't exactly overflowing with inside players. His mid-range shots eased the pressure on Barça's offense, which struggled more than usual to find open looks. The home team's lead grew to 17 points with four and a half minutes remaining, when Partizan's chances of pulling off an upset at the Palau Blaugrana were dashed (77-60). The visitors' late efforts didn't faze the Barça fans, who have regained their confidence in recent weeks.