Herbalife Gran Canaria 65-81 Barça: A great end to the week

Herbalife Gran Canaria 65-81 Barça: A great end to the week

Barça's ninth win keeps confidence high ahead of the Copa del Rey

Barça ended the week with their third victory in the last few days. The first came on Wednesday against Valencia, then Milan and Sunday saw a win in Gran Canaria, sealed in the last two periods.

A fairly even first quarter was low-scoring until half way through when Tomic and Oriola got to work. At 15-20, Barça enjoyed the early advantage. Gran Canaria came back into it at the start of the second quarter, with Barça strangely reticent at the basket. However, the visitors managed to keep in the lead and went into half-time with a 36-42 lead thanks to a basket from Pustovyi after a lightning-quick break.

Advantage

Tomic with two baskets, and a three-pointer from Oriola, put the Blaugrana up by 13 points with less than four minutes left before the end of the quarter. Some free throw success gave the hosts some hope, but some sterling work from Delaney and Higgins meant that Barça had a decent advantage going into the last ten minutes (51-64).

Try as they might, Gran Canaria weren't able to impose their attacking game in the last quarter, Pesic's side comfortable for the most part, and ending with a healthy 65-81 final score. The team will now focus on the Copa del Rey, which begins on Thursday with the quarterfinal match against Valencia (7.00pm CET).

MATCH DETAILS

Herbalife GC, 65
Barça, 81

Herbalife GC: Cook (7), Shurna (4), Rabaseda (7), Costello (5), Harper (9) –starters– Bourousis (-), Burjanadze (13), Okoye (2), Beirán (11), Santana (7), Diop (-).
Barça: Hanga (6), Oriola (14), Abrines (-), Higgins (16), Tomic (14) –starters– Claver (2), Delaney (4), Davies (8), Kuric (5), Smits (6), Pustovyi (6).
Periods: 15-20 / 21-22 / 15-22 / 14-17
Officials: Carlos Francisco Peruga, Francisco José Araña and Cristóbal Sánchez.

Força Barça
Força Barça

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