ASVEL 76-72 Barça: Defeat to end the regular season
The Barça basketball team went down to defeat in their last game of the regular season suffering a 76-72 loss against ASVEL Villeurbane in Lyon, France. With fourth place in the Euroleague regular season already assured, coach Roger Grimau opted to rest some of his players and give some fringe players a run out with the quarter final against Olympiacos to come later this month.
After wins for Panathinaikos and Monaco on Thursday, fourth place was the best that the blaugranes could do so coach Roger Grimau took the opportunity to rotate his squad with Willy Hernangómez out injured and Laprovittola rested.
Darío Brizuela began brightly for the Catalans scoring the first five points for Barça as they took an early 10-6 lead in the first quarter. However, ASVEL grew as the opening period went on and took a 24-18 lead into the second quarter.
The French side stretched their lead to nine points before a concerted blaugrana fightback led by Jokubaitis and Paulí saw Barça take a 42-38 lead at half time.
De Colo scored two quick three pointers at the start of the second half to bring ASVEL level and the blaugranes' shooting was not up to scratch with the teams level at 57-57 going into the final quarter.
Six unanswered points at the start of the fourth quarter swung the contest the French side's way. Abrines hauled Barça back into the contest in the final minutes but ASVEL held their nerve to take a 76-72 win.
Barça are next in action in the league when they face Girona with the Euroleague quarter final tie to come against Greek side Olympiacos starting at the end of April.
MATCH STATS
ASVEL: 76
Barça: 72
ASVEL: De Colo (9), Lee (10), Thomas (4), Lightly (6) and Fall (15) - starting five - Scott, Kahudi (0), Lauvergne (20), Luwawu-Cabarrot (4), Jackson (6), Ndiaye (2) and Yaacov (0).
Barça: Satoransky (0), Brizuela (7), Kalinic (3), Da Silva (0) and Vesely (9) - starting five - Paulí (9), Rubio (5), Abrines (6), Parker (7), Nnaji (9), Jokubaitis (12) and Parra (5).