FCBARCELONA.CAT

08.03.2009 14:15

Dominant from start to finish (68-78)

Anna Segura

Regal FC Barcelona overcame MMT Estudiantes 68-78 this lunchtime with a solid performance that keeps them in second place in the league, two wins behind leaders TAU.

Barca took revenge for the 71-72 defeat at the Palau earlier this season and consolidated their challenge for the ACB title with a well worked win over the Madrid team..

Navarro in charge

Estudiantes took advantage of a chaotic start from Regal Barca to take an early lead and their counter attacks together with Wideman’s presence made it look as if Barca would have a real fight on their hands. Then though, Juan Carlos Navarro popped up to take control of the game and impose Barca’s rhythm on the game.

0 - 13

A flurry of 13 points to zero helped Barca turn the game around and go in with a 13-22 lead after the first quarter, thanks in main part to Navarro’s three pointers and his connection with Fran Vázquez,

Lead stretched

Regal took off in the second quarter where they had left off in the first and stretched their lead to 15 points with a partial 15-30 lead before Casimiro bagged the home team’s first three pointer to cut the gap to 11. Navarro came back though and with the help of a late Iliasove three pointer Barca made it an 18 point lead at the break.

Navarro makes history

Regal continued to show their superiority after the break with Fran Vazquez repeating his great performance against Real Madrid in the Eurolliga- Navarro was the start of the show though, making a piece of club history by equalling Epi’s career mark of 627 three pointers.

Intense last quarter

With the game apparently done and dusted, Estudiantes hit back in the final quarter as the Telefonica Arena crowd got behind them. It looked as if there might be a real fight on before Xavi Pascual’s men settled down and took control again to finish 68.78 winners.