Penya cannot erase the smile of a Barça touched by angels

BarcelonaTwo days after an epic match that Barça fans will not soon forget.Barça defeated Joventut (90-80), catching up to their rival in the standings. A lethal third quarter proved decisive against a Joventut team that wasn't as consistent as usual. Kevin Punter, who scored 20 points on 4/6 shooting from three-point range, and Tomás Satoransky, who finished with 16 points and 7 assists, led the Blaugrana to their ninth consecutive victory.

"We reacted and turned the game around during the third quarter to secure an important win. We played with confidence in a very dangerous game," said Xavi Pascual. "We lacked consistency and a bit more patience," lamented Dani Miret.

Minutes before the game, Barça announced that Will Clyburn suffered a hamstring injury in his left leg. The estimated recovery time is six weeks. Furthermore, Toko Shengelia and Juan Núñez remain sidelined. Jan Vesely, on the other hand, was medically cleared and was able to play.

The game, which drew 6,504 spectators to the Palau Blaugrana, held special emotional significance for Ricky Rubio, Ante Tomic, Adam Hanga, Nico Laprovittola, and Joel Parra, who faced their former team. Sam Dekker, who is already considering a move, once again saw no playing time for Joventut.

Dani Miret started the game emphasizing Ante Tomic's inside game. The Croatian center created scoring opportunities, but Barça had a better start (17-8). The Blaugrana team maintained a high pace and good concentration, two virtues rarely seen in ACB games during the first part of the season. The lead for the Blaugrana, who made good decisions on offense, grew to 12 points (26-14).

Barça only made one shot in the first four minutes of the second quarter. Joventut, on the other hand, gradually added players to the offensive effort, which allowed them to completely erase the deficit. Penya's ball movement improved significantly during this stretch of the game, in which their defensive intensity also rose. This allowed them to turn the score around (32-36). An 8-23 run gave the green-and-black team a 34-40 lead at halftime. "We ran out of energy," Pascual admitted.

Lethal third quarter

The halftime break energized Barça, who regained control of the game. A devastating 18-2 run redrew the landscape of the Catalan derby (52-42). Joventut, who lost the momentum they displayed in the second quarter, took five and a half minutes to score a field goal against a Barça team that capitalized on the inspired play of a red-hot Kevin Punter to build an eleven-point lead (55-44). The Catalan side racked up 31 points in just 10 minutes (65-55). The home team's advantage reached 12 points (67-55), but Joventut refused to give up and searched for ways to stay in contention until the final stretch. Barça's focus prevented any chance of a Barça victory.