05.12.2010 14:30

Unfair final result (63-62)

Sònia de Alba

Despite a poor performance overall Regal Barça got to the final seconds of their game against Estudiantes still in with a chance of a win, but a bizarre foul blown against Lorbek tipped the game unfairly the hosts way at the last gasp.

With just two seconds on the clock and the teams tied on 62 points, referee Amorós blew a totally inexistent foul against Erazem Lorbek on Nick Caner-Medley, which shocked the Barça bench as the Slovenian was making every effort to defend the last action of the game and avoid the foul. The foul meant that Estudiantes had two free throws and although they missed the second, the first proved enough as Ndong was unable to score after capturing the failed second. The defeat was Regal Barça’s third in the ACB this season.

Poor start

The feeling that the team were robbed in the final seconds can’t take away from the fact that they put in a poor game, especially in the first half, A bad start saw Barça 8-0 down and Pascul having to call a time out. The team reacted with a couple of baskets from Fran Vázquez, a Lakovic three pointer and two more scores from Grimau, but the hosts, led by Nick Caner-Medley were finding it easy to get through the Barça defence and ended the first quarter 18-11 up.

Barça seemed completely out of sorts and Estudiantes stretched their lead to 18 points, before Sada, Ingles and Ricky fought back to make it 39-25 at the break.

Lakovic leads the fightback

The Barça defence looked better in the third quarter and Estudiantes began to run out of ideas. Lakovic now stepped up to the plate and lifted the rest of the team, as Sada, Grimau, Vázquez and Lorbek lent valuable support to make it 45-39 as the teams went into the last quarter.

Although they were fighting back, two three pointers from Estudiantes gave them a nine point lead, but Barça showed patience despite their errors and with Lakovic scoring 18 points they fought back to 62-62 before the dramatic ending gave Estuduantes their controversial last second win.