20.01.2011 22:51

Regal show character to win Top 16 opener (81-71)

Llorenç Tarrés

Regal Barça kicked off the Top 16 phase of the Euroleague with an important and hard fought win over Maccabi. Navarro, with 24 points, stepped up when he was needed and led Barça to the win.

The Top 16 is the start of the decisive phase of the Euroleague; the first step to the Final Four, when teams face six games with no margin for error – particularly at home – and Regal Barça did what was needed of them beating Maccabi by a confidence boosting, clear 10 points.

After a close first half in which Barça started strongest and the Israelis hit back late to close to 41-37 at the break as the two title seekers traded blows, Pascual’s team upped their game in the second half and took what proved to be a decisive lead into the final quarter.

First blood to Barça

Regal Barça put in a great first quarter and with Perovic marshalling the giant
Schortsanitis, and Navarro on fire with his three pointers (3 in the first 10 minutes) they soon opened up a gap. A ten point flurry without reply when the two teams were tied on 7 points set up an end of quarter score of 21-16. The Israeli team were still in touch though and they took seven points without reply early in the second quarter to turn the game round.

Pargo and Hendrix, with one of quite a few successful free shots in the first half, got the points to put the visitors ahead on 27-28, but Barça were quick to reply and Anderson showed no nerves at facing his ex-team mates as he and Navarro led the attack, scoring 26 of the team’s 41 first half points.

Lead opens up

Regal Barça were at their best again at the start of the second half, with a strong defence and bettering Maccabi all over the court as the visitors could find no answer. Maccabi spent a lot of time trying to get Baby Shaq’s inside game to spark, but Perovic, although he was occasionally beaten in isolated individual actions, had the Greek under control.

A three pointer from Navarro gave Barça their maximum lead(+11), but it was Terence Morris who was the star in the third quarter which finished 63-50. Maccabi were able to close the gap to just 4 points in the final quarter(71-67), but neither Perkins( very active in the first half , but virtually absent and frustrated in the second) nor Eidson(who was absent all the game), were able to contribute to the fight back and Barça’s much better collective game helped them to their final 10 point win.

With the first game of the Top 16 won, Pascual’s team achieved their second objective too, with a comfortable winning margin which is always vital at this stage.