FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.10.2008 23:11

Insular beat Regal Barça (68-57)

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Regal FC Barcelona were beaten for the first time in the Liga ACB this season when they went down by eleven points to L’Insular on Tuesday evening in the Canary Islands.

The Blaugrana’s run without a win against Kalise Gran Canaria now stretches back to 2005 after this latest reverse in the Centro Insular de Deportes.

James Augustine began the game by netting the first two points in what proved to be a very good move by the hosts and he went on to score 16 points and record five rebounds to become Kalise’s best player in the game.

Salva Maldonado’s team’s strength was what stood out most during the encounter though. With 43 rebounds for Kalise and 33 for Barça that reflected how the visitors were unable to settle against a side that remained patient in order to secure victory.

Some impressive play from Savane, Carl English (14 points) and Joel Freeland has meant that Barça went in at the end of the first quarter 23-18 behind.

No answers

Juan Carlos Navarro then came on after not being started by coach Xavi Pascual and he went on to show why he is always considered to be one of Barça’s best players by scoring 20 points and causing Kalise difficulties throughout the game.

The Blaugrana number eleven was as impressive as always, but he was not to be the saviour on this occasion as Savane continued to score and put the hosts 34-26 ahead three minutes before the half-time break. That eight-point lead was a big cushion for the home team and moments later it was increased when Augustine made the difference nine points (36-27) and that soon stretched to ten (40-30) after 20 minutes.

Same dynamic

The dynamic of the game did not change much after the restart, but Barça did manage to reduce the arrears, thanks largely to Navarro, to just five points, 48-43, midway through the third quarter.

Maldonado has proved to be very skilful at rotating the players from the bench. Albert Moscasi, the player loaned from Barça to Gran Canaria, has proved to be very useful and seven minutes after coming on the Catalan guard had managed four rebounds and two points. At the start of the last period, Moncasi had helped the scoreline move on to 54-48.

Regal Barça remained on 52 points for some time after Navarro had pushed his team forward.

The basketball first team returns to Barcelona on Thursday morning and will train in the Palau Blaugrana upon arrival. The players will then embark on their tour of the United States, which was why the game against Kalise was brought forward.