Barça 81-79 BAXI Manresa: The Lliga Catalana is blaugrana!

The season begins with the first competitive trophy won for Roger Grimau's Barça basketball team. The blaugranes are Liga Catalana AON champions after this 81-79 win over BAXI Manresa. The performance improved as the game went on and they clearly demonstrated they can rectify a poor start.

Forgettable first half

Roger Grimau's side struggled to get into the game and Manresa took full advantage in Lleida, spurred on by their many supporters in the stands, with Brizuela coming off the bench to help establish dominance.

Branco Badio and Brandon Taylor were all action and first half did not go well for the blaugranas at all. They were only 18-20 down after the first quarter, but the second saw the scoreline extended somewhat worryingly. Manresa were scoring at will as opposed to Barça´s 2/13 three pointers, and the score was 34-47 at the break.

Reaction after half time

Just like in the semi final, Barça looked totally different in the third quarter. Brizuela, Parra, Da Silva and Hernangómez came out with Satoransky and a 10-2 score helped restore parity in the game, with the defence repelling the Manresa attacks. Coach Pedro Martínez called a time out with the score now 60-54, but Barça completed an outstanding 32-11 period to go into the last eight points ahead. 

Manresa clearly wanted the trophy too though, showing character and resilience, and errors by the blaugranas led to Brancou Badio scoring to tie the game at 79 with just 30 seconds to go.

However, Laprovittola fed Vesely to score in one last attack for the blaugranas, which left one more chance for Manresa, whose three pointer missed.

24th Lliga Catalana for Barça

Those thrilling final moments culminated in Roger Grimau and his Barça side winning the first trophy of the 2023/24 season, two comebacks ensuring their 24th Lliga Catalana.

Still to come this week - the semifinal of the Endesa Super Cup against Real Madrid - but time to savour such a hard fought win first.

Game stats

Barça: 81
BAXI Manresa: 79

Barça: Laprovittola (10), Satoransky (9), Abrines (11), Parker (5) and Vesely (13) - starting five - Da Silva (7), Paulí (0), Brizuela (8), Kalinic (6), Hernangómez (4), Nnaji (0) and Parra (8).

BAXI Manresa: Williams (2), Jou (3), Taylor (2), Steinbergs (2) and Vaulet (6) - starting five - Badio (25), Dani García (2), Dani Pérez (2), Sagnia (2), Valtonen (7), Geben (7) and Zohore (4).

Quarters: 18-20, 34-47 / half time / 68-58, 81-79.

Referees: Oscar Perea, Andrés Fernández and Yasmina Alcaraz.