FCBARCELONA.CAT

24.03.2009 22:34

First blood for TAU (75-84)

Sònia de Alba

Regal FC Barcelona have lost the first game of the Euro league quarterfinal series in the Palau against a TAU side that took the initiative right from the beginning.

Despite the home advantage, Regal Barça were unable to seal the first win in their basketball Euro league quarterfinal against a top class TAU Cerámica. The visitors controlled more or less from the start and widened the gap to a maximum of 17 points in the third period. Barça never gave up but couldn’t overturn TAU’s advantage.

Character

The game opened with trademark play from Igor Rakocevic as TAU made their presence felt in the Palau. Despite a basket by Daniel Santiago, the TAU machine got into gear. Splitter and McDonald were giants in the zone while Pablo Prigioni took three three-pointers from three attempts before the clock showed six minutes of play. Xavi Pascual’s timeout was inevitable.

Vázquez and Basile led the Barça fight back as the home team showed their character. The first period ended 18-24.

The game continued to go TAU’s way. Prigioni, Ilievski and Teletovic nailed three-pointers and it was clear that the Barça players had to show even more character.

The reaction – better late than never – came as Fran Vázquez and Juan Carlos Navarro took the reins at a moment when things were not looking good.

”La Bomba” Navarro chalked up 10 almost consecutive points and the Palau crowd warmed to the effort.

With the score standing at 34-45 by the break, there was still everything to play for.

Maximum deficit (-17)

However, the third quarter was once again clearly won by the visitors. A lack of defensive concentration helped TAU to another devastating partial score: 6-12 and -17 points for Regal Barça.

Another break in the play gave the home side some moments to reflect how to try and row against the current.

Roger Grimau and Ersan Ilyasova pulled their team back into contention and at 51-59, Dusko Ivanovic called for timeout.

When play restarted, Ilyasova reduced the gap even further (53-59) only for Fernando San Emeterio to hit back for the visitors.

Staying power

Despite the constant setbacks, the Regalo Barça players refused to throw in the towel. On the basis of commitment and effort, Barça continued to accumulate points and keep themselves in with a chance. With two and a half minutes left, the result could still go in Barça’s favour. Lakovic, Navarro, Ilyasova, Fran Vázquez and Grimau brought Barça to within five points: 72-77.

But once again, TAU hit back hard with the kind of basket that only a player of the quality of Prigioni can create plus another from McDonald.

Final possession was for TAU but with 11 seconds remaining and the scoreboard at 75-84, Rakocevic held on to the basketball to see out the last moments.

The second game of the series will be on Thursday at 8.45 pm in the Palau.