FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.05.2008 20:34

AXA FC Barcelona – TAU Cerámica, the final

Sònia de Alba

TAU Cerámica will be AXA FC Barcelona’s rival in the final of the ACB League. It is the first time the two teams have come up against each other in the final in the 25 year history of the ACB and in the 51 years of Spanish league basketball.

AXA Barça will take on TAU Cerámica in the best-of-five game final of the ACB League. The first two matches will be played at the Palau Blaugrana as will the fifth and final match if it proves necessary.

The Catalans and the Basques have never come up against each other in the final of the League before. They have, however, done battle in the semi-finals such as last season when the side then coached by Dusko Ivanovic beat TAU in the Buesa Arena in the fifth game to win a spot in the Euroleague and get through to the final.

TAU and Barça have also gone head-to-head in the final of the King’s Cup. In 1994 the Catalans won in Seville by 86-78; in 2001/02 in Vitoria the Basques got their revenge by 85-83 with a last second winner from Elmer Bennett; and in 2003 in Valencia Barça ran out winners by 84-78.

Mickeal wins the game

Neven Spahija’s men had to work hard in the second game of their semi-final with Unicaja. Unicaja never threw in the towel and racked up four points right at the death, but a three pointer from Prigioni equalled the scores.

The game was decided by free throws. Two mistakes by Davor Kus from the personal foul line enabled Pete Mickeal to launch a counterattack with 2.6 seconds to go to make it 82-83. In the time remaining Unicaja attacked but their last attempt by Carlos Cabezas failed.