Brose Bamberg 85-65 FC Barcelona Lassa: Heavy defeat in Germany

FC Barcelona Lassa were beaten at Brose Bamberg after a lull in offence from the second to third periods was exploited expertly by the Germans to set up a lead that would prove definitive. Despite 19 points from Rice, the Catalans were unable to make it three consecutive wins in Europe and gain important positions in the table.

The game opened with 3-pointers flying in at both ends. Darius Miller took 3/3 for the home side while Doellman, Rice and Navarro booked three for Barça as a 3-11 streak cancelled out a 5-0 start from the home side. Tomic and Rice started raking the points up to 11-15, but sadly that would be FCB's biggest lead of the night and the game stood at 18-17 at the end of the first period.    

A three from Renfroe after the restart would put Barça in front for would be the last time of the night. Long German attacks gradually started building up the difference and by the interval there were double figures between the teams (40-31).

Great home defences on Rice, Doellman and Tomic did little to raise the Catalan hopes after the break and at 54-35 Bartzokas had only seen his team score 4 points in six minutes. A timeout seemed to do the trick. It was followed by a powerful 3-11 streak and suddenly things weren’t looking quite so hopeless.

A 0-6 to make it 59-53 and Barça were right back in it. Rice helped bring out all the character the team could muster but they simply could not chip any more than six points out of the difference. Two consecutive threes for the Germans meant all that effort had been in vain. FCB Lassa lunged forward with desperate late plays, but all that served to do was widen the gap and it all ended a disappointing 85-65.

Next up is a 12.30pm CET fixture with Obradoiro at the Palau Blaugrana on Sunday.