The best Barça resurfaces against Jasikevicius’s Fenerbahçe

Barça beat Fenerbahçe this Tuesday (90-63) at the Palau Blaugrana, on matchday 16 of the Regular Phase of the Euroleague, on a night in which they found their best version at the expense of Sarunas Jasikevicius’ team, which sees Their offensive woes aggravated after a grotesque time at the Palau, running into a Barça that this time did deserve the display they achieved.

After losing against Nikola Mirotic’s Emporio Armani Milan (81-94), Barça could not stumble again against another hero of the past like Sarunas Jasikevicius. And, taking advantage of the fact that the Turks are not going through their best moment either, Barça allowed themselves to be supported by their fans to show their good side and end up celebrating, with some eye-catching basketball, a more than necessary victory and a 25-10 in the last set that gave rise to the final party.

Six defeats in the last eight duels between the Euroleague and the Endesa League were too many and a defeat against ‘Saras’ Fenerbahçe could greatly complicate the immediate future of Joan Peñarroya’s project. But the Catalan Barça coach achieved his goal, he encouraged his players and it was Jasikevicius who, looking sad, seemed lost on a track that he actually knows ‘by heart’.

A victory of those that can be a turning point. To know it we will have to watch the progress of the games, but tonight Barça showed things that should continue to exist in future duels. Like offensive success, support between players in attack and defense and never giving up. Not even when they surpassed the 20-point barrier in a final quarter in which they pushed until they had the maximum advantage.

Con un triple de Darío Brizuela casi sobre la bocina, como si de ese tiro dependiera la victoria, se llegó al 90-63 final ya esos 27 puntos que dejan tocado al Fenerbahçe de ‘Saras’, de Sertac Sanli y Nigel Hayes-Davis – -all of them ex-blaugranas– after losing by 30 in the previous matchday, at home against AS Monaco. They both arrived badly, but the Turks go deeper into the hole and Barça sees the light better.

Even so, ‘Fener’ remains one victory ahead of Barça in the table. The Blaugranas could get into ‘Play-In’ or perhaps ‘Play-offs’ again depending on the rest of the results of the day. A step forward that comes thanks to the performances of Kevin Punter (25 points and 5 assists) or Justin Anderson (18 points), in his best game as a Blaugrana.

There were no ups and downs in this transcendent victory, in this reunion with the faith that should lift the Blaugranas to a high zone where they were at the beginning of the season. If Punter smiles, if Anderson joins the cause – great final play between them, showing great harmony – and Jabari Parker strives to be the best again (15 points), everything indicates that things are going well address. The Turks only won the second quarter (24-25) and the rest of the game was totally Blaugrana.

Furthermore, Barça had more recoveries than losses (12 against 8) and caused many errors in a Fenerbahçe team lost on the court, without success, driving their coach mad. Barça had not won at the Palau Blaugrana since November and just over a month later they can smile and think that a comeback is possible. How was it possible to prevent Sarunas Jasikevicius from burning down the Palau Blaugrana after Nikola Mirotica’s assault?

TECHNICAL SHEET.

–RESULT: BARÇA, 90 – FENERBAHÇE, 63 (44-37, at rest).

–TEAMS.

BARÇA: Satoransky (5), Punter (25), Anderson (18), Parker (15) and Vesely (2) –starting quintet–; Sarr (-), Brizuela (11), Hernangómez (4), Núñez (4), Abrines (2) and Parra (4).

FENERBACH: Baldwin IV (4), Hall (9), Hayes-Davis (7), Colson (15) and Birch (8) –starting quintet–; Melli (3), Sanli (2), Mays (8), Biberovic (4), Exioglu (-) and Guduric (3).

–PARTIALS: 20-12, 24-25, 21-16 and 25-10.

–REFEREES: Hordov, Peerandi and Bittner.

–PAVILLION: Palau Blaugrana, 5,974 spectators.