06.02.2011 14:30

To Madrid as leaders (85-67)

Carles Cascante

Regal Barça will travel to Madrid as ACB leaders after they saw off an always difficult Valencia team 85-67 for their 13th run on the trot, their tenth in the ACB. Ingles and Navarro led Xavi Pascual to his 100th ACB win.

It was an even and intense first quarter with Barça getting off to a fine 5-0 start, but Pesic’s Power Electrònics València team’s hard and aggressive defence soon got the visitors back on level terms and their control of the rebound –particularly in attack – proved key in taking them in with a one point lead at the end of the first 10 minutes. For Regal, Navarro and Boniface Ndong refused to lie down and constantly took the game to Valencia.

Ingles and a spectacular Ricky basket!

Power Electronics València began the second quarter the stronger and Pascual’s team were only firing in fits and starts, finding it hard to score despite the presence on court of shooters such as Ingles or Lakovic. With a couple of strict looking personals against Morris and Ndong, Valencia went three points up (19-22) with six minutes left to half time.

The positive point for Barça was Joe Ingles’ performance. The Australian showed good understanding with Alan Anderson on a couple of occasions and ended with 12 points in the quarter. The other good news, was hardly surprising, as Kosta Perovic also put in yet another good showing. The three pointers began to fly in and from 36-33 with just two minutes left to play, a spectacular basket from the middle of the court by Ricky sent Regal in 44-38 ahead.

Anderson takes charge

Valencia again came out the better after the break and it too three minutes for Anderson to get Barça’s first points. With Navarro being closely marked, Anderson took over from Ingles leading the hosts to a 56-46 lead with two minutes of the quarter left. Ricky attempted to finish off the quarter as he had the last, but he was the object of a foul as he tried his shot, though the referees failed to spot the infraction and the teams went into the last 10 minutes at 60-51.

More intense in defence

Regal’s players upped their defensive game in the final quarter and with Kosta Perovic controlling Valencia’s interior game, with great help from Grimau or Morris, Barça moved into a maximum 13 point lead. Valencia weren’t giving in though and they again controlled the rebounds.

It was Ingles, however, who proved decisive, putting in his best few minutes for the team and getting a three pointer with 5.51 on the clock which all but finished the game off (70-56). With the three pointers again flying in, Barça pulled ahead in the final moments and ended with a clear 85-67 win in front of their enthusiastic Palau fans. A great win then, that sends Pascual’s team off to Madrid as ACB leaders.