Real Madrid 72-67 Barça: Beaten in final seconds

Barça have lost to Real Madrid (72-67) in a top quality Spanish Super Cup Final that either side could have taken. The Catalans got better as the game progressed and looked to be building up a game-winning lead, but despite 22 points from game-leader Mirotic, Real Madrid nabbed it in the end.

Once the early jitters were behind them, the teams started producing top quality hoops, and Barça’s control of the rebounds was largely to thank for Madrid not building up a larger lead than they did.

But with the all-whites +6 (23-17), it was time for Mirotic to go out and pull the blaugrana back into contention and then ahead on the back of a promising 6-0 streak (31-32).

Three-pointers helped Barça extend that lead, but neither side truly broke away from the other throughout the course of a tense third period. This game was going to go down to the wire.

Not even a run of seven unanswered points could shake off Madrid, who upped the defensive pressure and forced Barça to make key errors. Things could not have been tighter, with the sides level pegging with thirty seconds remaining. Campazzo’s score proved decisive. Barça did all they could to force overtime, but Madrid defending and missed 3-pointer on the buzzer meant Real Madrid would be collecting the first silverware of the new season.

MATCH STATS

Real Madrid: Campazzo (21), Abalde (13), Carroll (2), Deck (11), Tavares (2), Randolph (3), Llull (8), Rudy (4), Garuba (3) & Laprovittola (2).

Barça: Heurtel (4), Calathes (11), Claver (1), Oriola (2), Mirotic (22), Abrines (8), Smits (-), Bolmaro (4), Hanga (1) & Davies (12). 

Periods: 18-14 / 32-31 / 50-49 / 70-67