The Barça basketball team are on a roll and are showing that they have the ability to beat anyone. On Friday they defeated Olympiacos in the Palau Blaugrana 98-85 in front a packed and raucous crowd. 

Tight opening quarter 

Aware of the talent on both teams, Barça and Olympiacos started the game switched from the opening tip off. The blaugranes started well from the perimeter, Clyburn on the mark early on. The Greeks were led by Fournier who helped the visitors to a 22-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

AC105540

In the second period the game was still a close run affair. Olympiacos held the advantage at 33-20 as Barça coach Xavi Pascual called a time out. A series of steals got the crowd to their feet and the blaugranes inched in front to lead 42-39 at the break. 

Second half explosion 

Barça continued strong on defense in the second half, scoring on the fast break on more than one occasion. The third quarter saw possibly the best 10 minutes of the campaign from the team, leading to a 72-56 going into the final period. 

AC105791

There was no question of Xavi Pascual allowing his team to ease up and in the fourth quarter they maintained the intensity of the third period. Punter and Clyburn continued to score regularly to allow the blaugranes to take an impressive 98-85 win in the end in the Palau. 10 wins now in 15 matches in the league and a run of five straight wins in all competitions for an ever improving Barça side. 

    of

    MATCH STATS 

    Barça: 98
    Olympiacos: 85

    Barça: Satoransky (3), Punter (24), Clyburn (28), Shengelia (14), Vesely (12) - starting five - Juani Marcos (0), Cale (2), Norris (0), Brizuela (5), Hernangómez (7) Parra (3) and Fall (-).

    Olympiacos: Walkup (2), Dorsey (19), Fournier (11), Vezenkov (22), Milutinov (10) - starting five - Ntilikina (4), Laentzakis (0), Lee (0), Papanikolaou (0), Peters (6), Antetokounmpo (-) and Hall (11).

     

    Força Barça