Barça 90–83 Asvel Villeurbanne: Run in Europe continues

A win is a win and without displaying their best basketball the blaugranes overcame French side Asvel Villeurbanne in the Palau Blaugrana in a topsy-turvy encounter in the Euroleague. The match was an emotional one for the home side as it was the first since the serious knee injury to Nico Laprovittola. The Argentine's team mates came out wearing t-shirts bearing a message of support ahead of the game at home. 

Slow start 

The French visitors had the better of the early exchanges and soon raced into a 12-6 lead in the Palau. However, three pointers from Satoransky and Abrines brought Barça back into the game and cut the deficit to three at the end of the first quarter at 20-17. 

Joan Peñarroya's team took that momentum into the second quarter and took the lead at 36-35 with 18 minutes gone. However, Asvel kept their nerve and came back to take a 44-43 lead at half time. 

Second half win 

Following the break the two teams exchanged baskets for fun until Barça took a slender lead at 52-47 on 23 minutes. The blaugranes were unable to build on that advantage and the French side held them to 69-69 with just the fourth quarter to come. 

In the final period Dame Starr continued the good form of the previous quarter for the blaugranes as the crowd in the Palau began to sense victory for the home side. Greater precision in shooting in the final minutes decided the encounter in Barça's favour and a lead of 86-81 proved vital with the team closing out a 90-83 win to record a fourth win in four matches in the Euroleague. 

MATCH STATS 

BARÇA, 90
ASVEL, 83

Barça: Punter (20), Anderson (-), Hernangomez (2), Nuñez (8), Parker (12) - starting five - Sarr (3), Vesely (14), Brizuela (5), Metu (6), Satoransky (9), Abrines (11).

Asvel: Schoflied (6), Maledon (21), Jackson (3), Sako (17), Lighty (2) - starting five - Harrison (3), Kahudi (14), Ajinca (3), De Colo (14), Paul (3).