FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.01.2010 14:15

Game over in first 20 minutes (103-82)

Sònia de Alba

For all Xacobeo’s attempts to put the pressure on Regal Barca, they couldn’t stop the machine from rolling on as the hosts chalked up their 17th win of the season in a game sorted in the first 20 minutes when Barca established a 23 point lead.

Regal duly chalked up their 17th win of the season in a game that saw the return of Jaka Lakovic after three weeks out injured and Navarro come within a point of joining the top 20 points scorers in the ACB. Navarro ended up the most valuable Barca player with a global valuation of 23 and the game’s second highest points scorer behind Vasileiadis (18 punts).

Strong start

Regal Barça started the game strong in attack and especially in defence where they stopped the visitors scoring for the first three minutes and forced the Xacabeo coach into an early time out.

Barca ‘s attack was just too varied for the Galicians and with Navarro starting on the bench, Xavi Pascual had plenty of chances to ring the changes and give all of his bench a run out before the first half was over. During that time Barca held leads of up to 20 points with Lakovic marking his reappearance with a three pointer in the second quarter which finished 54-31.

Navarro comes close to top 20

The big lead could have affected Barca’s concentration and Xacabeo never let their heads drop, keeping trying right till the end and they certainly began to create more chances as the game went on.

Navarro scored 7 points in the first half and a further 10 in the second before the coach, unaware of how close he was to entering the top 20, took him off as his tally of triple took the team to a massive 26 point lead (71-45). That lead grew to 30 points in the final quarter with Grimau and Fran Vazquez chipping in before reaching their 5 personal fouls.

All credit to Xacabeo though, who kept at it and became the first team to score more than 80 points against Regal at the Palau this season. Unfortunately for them of course, Barca hit the hundred mark for the the third time this season with Pete Mickeal getting a late three pointer and two free shots to end the game 103-832 for Barca’s 17th win of the season.