Barça are coming back from Zaragoza empty handed in a game where the offences outplayed the defences and the home side found the better share of the points. Sulejmanovic (26) and Bell-Haynes (35) led the Aragonese charge, which was too much for Barça in the third period and much as the Catalans tried to set things straight in the final quarter, it was to no avail.
Things had started nice enough, but although Barça commanded the early lead, a 12-0 streak brought Zaragoza straight back into things. But as Abrines started settling into the game and then Brizuela too (3/3 in 3-pointers in the first half), Barça started getting things very right and went in at the break with a six-point lead (41-47).
It was in the third that the game was truly decided. In seven minutes, the game swung from 46-53 to 74-64. Canadian point guard Trae Bell-Haynes was having the game of his life, and Barça were on the receiving end of it.
The lead Zaragoza built up in that period ultimately proved definitive. In the final period, Barça could only narrow the gap by three points. Not nearly enough to ever worry the home fans. They'd won this one.
MATCH STATS
CASADEMONT ZARAGOZA, 108
BARÇA, 95
Zaragoza: Bell-Haynes, Slaughter, Yusta, Fernández, Bango, Mencía, Spissu, González, Rodríguez, Sulejmanovic.
Barça: Anderson, Brizuela, Satoransky, Fall, Parker, Punter, Vesely, Willy Hernangómez, Núñez, Abrines, Parra.
Periods: 16-18 / 25-29 (41-47) / 33-17 (74-64) / 34-31 (108-95).
Referees: Juan Carlos García González, Martín Caballero, Andrés Fernández.
