The Barça basketball team notched up their first league win of the season in the Martín Carpena de Málaga, beating Unicaja 83-77 for an impressive away victory.

Coming into the game without a win in their opening two games of the ACB league, the pressure was on Joan Peñarroya's team. Barça started the encounter in dynamic fashion, four three pointers leading to an early 14-7 lead. However, Tyson Pérez led a fightback for the home side and they came back to train by four at 22-18 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter Unicaja brought themselves level at 24-24 before a period of the game in which both sides found it difficult to score. Nevertheless, Barça held their nerve and took a 39-34 lead into the break.

Juani Marcos in control

In the third quarter Barça's Juani Marcos led the blaugranes to a 10 point lead at 51-41 only for the team from Málaga to rally and bring it back to 62-57 at the end of the third quarter. In the final deciding quarter the blaugranes did well to prevent Unicaja scoring from the perimeter but not inside the paint. At this moment in the encounter, Barça's Georgian forward Shengalia came to the fore to help close out a vital win at 83-77.

Now Barça face three games in a row at the Palau - Zalgiris and Olimpia Milano in the Euroleague and in between a league game against Breogán.

MATCH STATS

Unicaja: 77
Barça: 83

Unicaja: Tyson Pérez (9), Perry (11), Webb (8), Duarte (2) and Balcerowski (4) - starting five - Kalinoski (3), Barreiro (6), Alberto Diaz (2), Djedovic (11), Sulejmanovic (4), Tillie (6) and Kravish (11).

Barça: Juani Marcos (11), Punter (17), Clyburn (11), Shengelia (18) and Keita (0) - starting five - Cale (4), Vesely (6), Brizuela (0), Satoransky (5), Hernangómez (4), Fall (-) and Parra (7).

 

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