Tecnyconta Zaragoza v FC Barcelona Lassa: Winning start to 2017 (75-86)

FC Barcelona Lassa basketball have extended their positive form at the Palau Blaugrana to their away games with a convincing victory against Tecnyconta Zaragoza on Monday. The win was based on the away side's ability to score three pointers with ease, ending the night with a total of 15. Oleson and Koponen, with four each, led Barça Lassa along with Tomic who top scored again with18 points.

Tyrese Rice conceded two quick fouls, which got Barça off to a poor start, but Koponen took control of the team to settle Barça into the game. In the first minutes the blaugranas tried to open up an advantage but some individual errors led to the home side levelling the scores at 14-14. Tomic put the Catalans back into the lead just before the end of the first quarter (19-17).

The second quarter saw an extraordinary number of three pointers. An 11-0 period opened up a sizeable advantage for Barça with Koponen and Oleson again leading the charge in attack. In that period the away side scored a stunning 32 points and they also improved defensively meaning they went into the break with a commanding seventeen point advantage (34-51).

Excellence maintained

After an excellent second quarter, Bartzokas demanded more of the same from his team in terms of intensity and he got it. Rice returned to the action and the difference kept growing (40-66). The Catalans were dominating the rebounds, and were scoring freely and controlling the home side's attacks. Only Norel, Gecevicius and Benzing were capable of scoring against the blaugranas' good defence.

The second half was all Tomic. Until he was substituted when the result was in no doubt, the Croatian pivot was almost unstoppable. A Doellman basket at the death ended the third quarter with a 25 point margin for Barça Lassa (50-75). The victory looked secure but Tecnyconta Zaragoza, thanks to Benzing's points, attempted to get close to the Catalans (60-77). Barça Lassa lost a bit of intensity allowing the home side to put some gloss on the scoreboard in the final period (75-86).

Barça Lassa have now won four in a row and have consolidated second place in the table with a balance of eleven wins and three defeats. Bartzokas' team will look to maintain this positive run next Thursday away to Brose Bamberg at 8pm CET and in the next Endesa League fixture is on Sunday at 12.30pm CET at the Palau Blaugrana against Obradoiro.