After winning the cup, Barça, the leaders in the Euroleague, took on Zalgiris. The game opened at a frantic pace with both sides consistently finding the basket.
Higgins, again, excels
Cory Higgins had already plundered 11 points before the end of the first period, a high-octane opening 10 minutes which saw the scores level at 24-24.
Things continued in the same vain for a few minutes in the second period, before Barça's defence got a foothold in the game. The visitors could only muster a further 13 points before the break, whereas Saras' side equalled their tally from the opening period to go in 48-37 ahead.
Crucial third period
It wasn't until the third period that Barça really began to feel comfortable despite having dominated going into the break. A fluid and energetic attack complemented a dogged defence, with Davies' play particularly easy on the eye. At 71-47 with the final period to play, only a collapse would stop Barça taking the points.
Oriola stood out in the last quarter, and though the sides ended the game as they had begun it by scoring the same amount of points in a period, Barça could afford to ease off and still cruise to their 18th Euroleague win.
MATCH DETAILS
Barça, 86
Zalgiris, 62
Barça: Calathes (4), Higgins (19), Abrines (3), Mirotic (10) and Oriola (19) -starters- Bolmaro (8), Hanga (2), Kuric (3), Davies (12), Smits (4), Sergi Martínez (-) and Pustovyi (2).
Zalgiris: Walkup (3), Grigonis (8), Milaknis (8), Hayes (9) and Lauvergne (8) -starters- Jankunas (3), Geben (6), Rubit (6), Jokubaitis (6), Lukosiunas (2) and Vasturia (3).
Periods: 24-24; 24-13; 23-10; 15-15
Officials: Borys Ryzhyk, Piotr Pastusiak and Sergio Silva.
