Maccabi Electra - FCB Regal: Show of strength in Tel Aviv (77-82)

Barça Regal recorded their sixth win of the Top 16 to leave them with an impressive 6-1 in the first half of this phase and continue to head Group F. The team demonstrated theor great moment of form in Tel Aviv this Thursday running out 77-82 winners and confirming their top spot in the group. Juan Carlos Navarro was again decisive, scoring ten quick points at the start of the second half to establish a winning margin.

Difficult start

Barça Regal found it hard to get into the game in the first few minutes, but with Maccabi 9-2 up they turned on the turbo and were soon 11-11 with a Navarro basket, before Lorbek got  three pointer to make it 13-14.The hosts then hit back and finished the first quarter 22-20 up.

Sarunas Jasikevicius stamped his authority on the second quarter. The Lithuanian, who played in Tel Aviv between 2003 and 2005 and was keen to show his abilities on his return to the Israeli capital, racked up a series of three pointers to put Barça six points ahead 31-37, which became 39-41 at the break.

Navarro makes his mark

After the break, Barça made the definitive breakthrough with Navarro getting 10 quick points to put them 53-67 up, which included a three pointer that made him the competition’s leading three point scorer. Tomic also got on the scoreboard and Barça went into the final quarter 14 points up.

Maccabi fight back

Maccabi tried to come back in the final 10 minutes and they restricted Barça’s  scoring to zero during 4 minutes to close to 57-67 on 34 minutes before a three pointer from Huertas cut the reaction and although Xavi Pascual’s men tried to  establish a big difference for the “basket average”, the hosts ran in 10 points without reply and had to settle for a final five point difference.