FCBARCELONA.CAT

26.09.2009 20:42

Maximum reliability (95-53)

Sònia de Alba

Regal Barça will play the final of the Catalan league against DKV Joventut. Sant Josep of Girona were soundly beaten 95-53, and Barça are well on course for their 13th title.

Xavi Pascual needed to make big changes in the second half after things were still very even at the break, 41-38. But in the second half it was a very different story, and Barça ended up winning by 40 (95-53).

Jaka Lakovic and Lubos Barton in street clothing were able to celebrate Regal Barça’s passage to the 30th Catalan League final.

Good start

The game started with Sada, Mickeal, Morris, Basile and Fran Vázquez on the court, and it looked unlikely that Girona would be able to put up much of a challenge. But with the experience of Darryl Middleton and energy of Drevo, they were surprisingly plucky, although Barça didn’t take long to take their lead into double figures (25-15).

Sant Josep hang on

But Regal Barça failed to make their dominance count. Ricky Rubio was sent on to sort things out, and not everybody in the crowd was happy to see him appear – there were a number of Joventut supporters in the terraces.

The newcomer was clearly unsettled by the atmosphere, and made a few early errors, and Sant Josep pounced on the uncertainty to claw their way back into the game.

The lower category side was suddenly back in it, and at the break were just three adrift on 41-38.

Connecting lines

Regal Barça had some serious talking to do in the dressing room at half time, and it was different side that reappeared after the break. A 33-9 streak as good as killed off the Gerona challenge.

Erazem Lorbek and Fran Vázquez particularly broke the ice, combining and shooting well, while Navarro sent home a three to make it +23 (68-45).

Barça festival

Jordi Trias then made the win more certain than ever with nine consecutive points, and from then on it was just a matter of how much FCB would win by. In the end it was 42 points (95-53), with two Roger Grimau free throws finishing off the day’s work.

Regal Barça still looked a little rusty in their first official match of the season. Tomorrow on Sunday at 18.15 (TV3), there will be yet another Regal Barça-DKV Joventut final in this competition. La Penya won last year, but the way it unfolds this year will be revealed tomorrow.