The commitment started crossed for the people of Vitoria since, in the middle of the afternoon, it transpired that Neven Spahija had tested positive for COVID-1 again9 and that he had to stay at home, leaving the job, again, to David Gil. It already happened to him on Tuesday in Zaragoza. But the really surprising thing was that, with a team that barely has personnel, Landry Nnoko was removed from the clash for disciplinary reasons. It does not look good for the African and there is already speculation in Vitoria with his court. At the beginning of the season it also happened to Baldwin due to his paternity but the point guard is a differential player and the Cameroonian is not. Enoch and, above all, Costello stepped forward to become strong in the painting.
Higgins ‘return after his low back pain was big news for Jasikevicius’ team. He even jumped onto the court in the starting five. He played the first four minutes and then went to the bench. The great culé gunner in the first quarter was Laprovittola, who got 8 of the first 17 Catalan points with a pair of clean triples included. The crash was very even (13-12, min. 5) but the visitors won with the changes and opened a small gap that was neutralized at the end of the first installment. The two teams accepted the exchange of blows, with an offensive mentality and a predominance of outside shooting with good percentages in general.
The second quarter, on the contrary, started with very little basket production (partial 4-3 in the first 4 minutes) but Granger and Costello uncovered the jar of essences and a favorable gap was opened for the locals (31-26, min. 16). 7 minutes had elapsed into the quarter and Barça had only 3 points. When Baskonia missed their shots, they got offensive rebounds and got 10 up with 36-26 but a 0-5 run brought those of Jasikevicius closer and David Gil was forced to ask for a time-out with the intention of stop the bleeding. In any case, Barcelona was that no and, with a hypermotivated Costello, the whole of the Basque capital went to rest with a good 40-34. The Michigan man finished the second quarter with 11 points, 7 rebounds and a PIR of 15. “We have to finish the job,” he said on television. Those of the city of Barcelona scored only 11 points in that period. “What you have to do is fight,” added Saras Jasikevicius.
Far from being daunted, Bitci continued with a high level of success (61-46, min. 26) and that Mirotic woke up and chained 10 points consecutively in the blink of an eye. Giedraitis gave him the answer with a good percentage of outside shots. The initial set was 21-12. The maximum favorable to Baskonia came with 74-52 in the 29th minute. The defense of the Basque team was exemplary and Barcelona seemed deactivated. The one that put the electricity was the set of David Gil. Losing by 21 points in the last ten minutes seemed an entelechy but, against Barcelona, anything was possible. At the end of the third installment, the difference in assists was insulting: 20 to 9. In rebounds, Gil’s men won 32 to 24.
Davies and Martínez had serious problems with personal fouls and spent too much time on the bench being, as they are, one of the best defenders of the Barcelona team. The 82-57 of minute 32 already left the duel seen for sentence. In the first leg at the Palau, Jasikevicius’s men humiliated Dusko Ivanovic’s team (93-67) but, on December 5, Spahija’s men returned the league coin to the Blaugrana team by signing a great game. Well, the Buesa, if possible, was better. A team that came from crawling in Zaragoza gave a lesson in pride and basketball to the leader of the competition. Jasikevicius took the kids out in the last bars and Gil also had a detail with Barrera, until now testimonial. Saras already has her black beast this year. The same is also crossed in the Copa del Rey in Granada. Much credit also for David Gil, twenty years at the club’s service and head coach in the clash.