Joventut Badalona 82–92 Barça: Lliga Catalana Champions to start the season!

Final score in Tarragona: Club Joventut Badalona 82-92 Barça. 23rd Lliga Catalana to start the season!

A final that saw Barça's talent shine through to ultimately control the game to the final buzzer, despite a decent opening quarter from their opponents. A great start to the 2022/23 season for Saras and the team, also adding a title they hadn't won since 2019.

Club Joventut Badalona can test themselves against Barça again soon, as the two teams meet again on Saturday at the Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo in Seville for their Supercopa Endesa semifinal at 9:30pm CEST.

Momentum shift

Both teams were straight into the game at the Palacio de Deportes Catalunya de Tarragona, but Club Joventut Badalona defended well, scoring a couple of three pointers to go 14-5 up. However, from the final minute of the first quarter into the third of the second, Barça outscored their opponents 18-9 to level up the game at 23-23. By halftime, aided by 10 points from an effective Àlex Abrines, Barça led 37-41.

3rd quarter push to see out the game

Both teams came out with a attacking mindset in contrast to the more calculating first half. This benefitted Barça, who consolidated a +9 lead (59-68) by the end of the 3rd quarter. Club Joventut Badalona kept pushing throughout the fourth, but Barça defended well to see out the 82-92 win and celebrate their first title of this new 2022/23 season.

Game stats

Joventut Badalona, 82
Barça, 92

Joventut Badalona: Yannik Kraag (-), Guy (10), Ellenson (16), Feliz (8), Tomic (15) – starting five – Busquets (-), Pau Ribas (5), Ventura (2), Guillem Vives (6), Birgander (16), Parra (4), Maronka (-).
Barça: Jakubaitis (8), Tobey (2), Higgins (8) Sergi Martínez (-), Sanli (12) – starting five – Da Silva (2), Pauli (2), Vesely (6), Kalinic (17), Laprovittola (12), Abrines (12), Kuric (11).

Quarters: 21-17; 16-25 // 22-27; 23-24

Referees: Jordi Aliaga, Arnau Padros and Andres Fernández.