Barça 87-71 Joventut: Palau witnesses derby win

A great third quarter powered Barça to victory in the derby against Joventut de Badalona by 87-71 in the Palau Blaugrana. The blaugranes were always ahead in the game and have now recorded five wins in a row. 

Just ahead at the break

The derby began with Barça trying open up a sizeable lead in the first quarter but with 'La Penya', as Joventut are commonly known, clinging on to stay in the game at 18-13 down at the start of the second period. 

The visitors began well but five unanswered points from Mike Tobey and Sanli handed Saras Jasikevicuis' side the advantage once again. The home side extended their lead to nine points at half time in a low scoring first two quarters with neither side at their best from the three point line. 

The third quarter decides it 

In the second half Barça upped the tempo, especially with regards to three pointers, as Mirotic and Satoransky in particular piled on the pressure. The blaugranes' lead was 16 points going into the final quarter at 67-51 up. 

'La Penya' brought the lead back down to 12 in the final quarter but a three pointer from Sanli and an emphatic dunk from Satoransky restated Barça's dominace to close out an 87-71 win. 

Euroleague fixtures now await Saras' team as they travel to Belgrade to take on Partizan before facing Alba Berlin at home in the Palau. 

MATCH STATS

Barça: 87

Joventut: 71

Barça: Satoransky (19), Laprovittola (5), Abrines (7), Mirotic (10), Sanli (16) - cinc inicial - Vesely (4), Tobey (7), Kalinic (5), Higgins (5), Jokubaitis (6), Nnaji (1) and Paulí (2).

Joventut: Vives (2), Guy (13), Parra (9), Brodziansky (7), Tomic (11) - cinc inicial - Ribas (4), Birgander (6), Kraag (4), Busquets (0), Feliz (15) and Okeke (0).