FC Barcelona 108-97 Real Madrid: Clásico victory in overtime

Barça have beaten Real Madrid in a basketball Clásico that went into overtime, sending them three wins ahead of their rivals in the ACB regular season table. Dante Exum was named MVP of the game, while Nicolás Laprovittola, with 20 points and, Nick Calathes, with five assists, also stood out.

The Palau Blaugrana was treated to a high scoring start to the game, with Barça leading 27–23 at the end of the first period.

But Real Madrid were clearly not just here to watch, and as they upped their defensive intensity on the paint, they eventually managed to get back level. But a surge from the blaugrana just before the break meant they’d be starting the second half +5.

Nikola Mirortic and Rolands Smits joined the party with some fabulous play in the third as the blaugrana took the lead into double figures for the first time.

A ten-point difference, however, was probably not enough to reflect how superior the home side had been. Real Madrid were still in it, and indeed managed to fight their way back to all square at 80-80.

Following moments of tension that ended with Mirotic and Abalde both dismissed there was a hectic finale in which Madrid looked about to clinch it, but the Palau inspired a late crescendo from Barça to send us into overtime.

In the added period, however, there was never really any doubt who was going to go and win this. Powerful ball from Hayes, a stunning slam-dunk from Dante Exum and admirably intense defending meant the Clásico was going to end well and truly in blaugrana style.

MATCH STATS

Barça: Calathes (3), Laprovittola (20), Exum (16), Smits (18), Mirotic (14), Sergi Martínez (-), Hayes (16), Jokubaitis (5), Nnaji (-), Sanli (10), Abrines (-), Kuric (6).  

Reial Madrid: Abalde (7), Deck (17), Yabusele (13), Taylor (4), Tavares (14), Causeur (3), Williams – Goss (-), Randolph (4), Fernández (-), Hanga (11), Poirier (14), Llull (10).

Periods: 27-23; 24-24 // 20-19; 18-24 // 19-8.

Referees: Antonio Conde, Martín Caballero & Juan de Dios Oyón.