Partizan 79-87 Barça: Prestigious win in Belgrade
The Barça basketball team have won their seventh match in nine EuroLeague gameweeks at a difficult place to go, namely against Partizan at the Belgrade Arena. The blaugranes had to give their all of course, because despite leading by 23 (42-65, min 25), Partizan came back to within one (79-80, min 38).
Àlex Abrines with a triple and a defensive rebound in the final minute proved key to sealing a win that sees Barça as EuroLeague leaders. On his return to his former club, Kevin Punter top scored with 18 points.
Brilliant second quarter
Partizan may have taken control from the off, with the scoreboard showing just that at the end of the quarter (23-19, min 10), but Barça gradually grew into the game. With a great defence and fluid attack, the blaugranes kept their opponents at arm's length and began to go through the gears. Eight points by Metu and three triples by Jabari Parker in the second quarter proved key to the 12-30 scoring in the second quarter. Half-time score 35-49.
Partizan wake up
Same dynamic for Barça after the break and the 20 point lead barrier was broken. However, Partizan gradually woke up and after Juan Núñez scored for the biggest lead at 42-65, the Serbians stared to claw back the difference. They also forced some quick fouls to slow down the blaugranes' play (58-70, min 30).
Successful last minute
The fans were pushing their side on and the hosts made the most of Barça's errors in attack to really come back into the game in the final stretches, with consecutive triples from Washington, Ntilikina and Pokusevski (74-78, min 37), plus five free throws by Lundberg (79-80, min 38).
Ultimately, the last minute turned in Barça's favour, a triple by Abrines (79-83, min 39), the captain then grabbing a rebound after a missed Partizan triple, plus a basket by Punter (79-85, min 39) decanting the game in the blaugranes' favour (79-87, min 40). A tough win to continue leading the EuroLeague table, part of a week of European action that will end on Friday against Paris at the Palau Blaugrana.
GAME STATS
PARTIZAN 79
BARÇA 87
Partizan: Carlik Jones, Bosnjakovic, Brown, Bonga, Tyrique Jones - starting five - Brandon Davies, Lundberg, Ntilikina, Washington, Pokusevski.
Barça: Satoransky, Punter, Abrines, Parker, Vesely - starting five - Anderson, Brizuela, Metu, Juan Núñez, Fall, Parra.
Quarters: 23-19, 12-30 (35-49), 23-21 (58-70), 21-17 (79-87).
Referees: Emin Mogulkoc, Seffi Shemmesh, Kristaps Konstantinovs.