Barça makes up the embarrassment against Zaragoza

The final score (85-83) may suggest a much more even match than it really was. Casademont Zaragoza played a fantastic match, there is no doubt about that and no one can take away from them, but Barça’s performance was regrettable at times. Without Mirotic or Higgins, they rested, the first half of the Catalans was grotesque. 24 points, eight joint valuation and the feeling that it was neither going nor coming. A disaster that they made up in the second half, with a much better attitude and foreign success, but the enormous disadvantage and the good work of Zaragoza ended Barça’s streak of ten consecutive victories in ACB.

The game got off to a fast start, with short possessions and quick transitions but with few points. A lot of failure from Zaragoza, quite a loss from Barça, for a pyrrhic 6-4 with which the game stopped. The clock stopped running for more than 40 minutes, sending the teams first to the bench and then to warm up. As if the game had not started.

The match started again, without a scoreboard, horn or lighting effects on the board, with a beautiful duel between Aday Mara and Nnaji, two of the players with the greatest projection in the league. He took it first. He seemed much more in tune with his team, receiving under the rim. Between his points and those of Sant-Ross, Zaragoza opened the first gap (19-10). And Jasikevicius switched to Nnaji.

Mara continued to do damage in the second quarter, sat down to much applause from the public, but the offensive rebounds kept Barça in the game. They allowed too many defensive eases, made few fouls and Sant-Ross continued to benefit. With no miss on the 3-pointer, he had 14 points in 15 minutes. Barça, a shipwreck. Unsportsmanlike, a technique and the general feeling that it was not his night. Quite simply, the worst version of the Catalans, the worst basketball of the season (46-24). A group of five players on the floor that could hardly be described as a team.

After the break things changed slightly. Barça finally began to find free shots and, above all, to score them. Five triples between Lapro and Abrines that logically reduced Zaragoza’s advantage. Besides, the intensity, the desire, were better. With even a point of anger. The problem was that Casademont Zaragoza did not slow down. More desire, more intensity and many points. Iván Cruz signed an excellent fourth and Santi Yusta also added. And Mara, who was a nightmare for the Barça interiors (69-54).

If Barça entered the last quarter with options, it was thanks to Laprovittola. The Argentinian was the main argument of a Barça that after the discount recovered self-respect. Some players, like Kuric or Sanli, were far from the level they are supposed to be, but others, like Vesely and Kalinic, pushed the car (73-60). Already highly demanded, the Catalans abused the triple. With four to go, however, they fell below ten behind for the first time (75-66). The miracle was not consummated. Casademont Zaragoza managed the advantage well after a few nervous minutes and took a well-deserved victory despite the final scare. Despite the tightness of the score, Barça never even had a shot to tie the game.