Barça secured a comfortable win over ALBA Berlin, 93-77, reaffirming their hold on second place in the Euroleague. Willy Hernangómez led the way with a season-best showing and Oscar da Silva added 18 points with a +26 rating, as Barça built a commanding 84-53 lead in the final period.
The German national team forward demonstrated his value with a stat line that reflected the team’s needs: a classic double-double ready to become a regular feature, posting 10 points and 10 rebounds (7 on the offensive glass) along with five steals and a +22 rating. If this level of consistency persists, it would be a major asset for Barça going forward.
Despite occupying the second spot, Blaugrana’s league form had taken a hit earlier, after Valencia Basket rallied with a 0-19 burst as the third quarter closed and the fourth opened. The visit to Palau Blaugrana carried the obvious thrill of a potential repetition of Barça’s first-round triumph, with Berlin arriving three kilometers from Alexanderplatz with the aim of turning momentum around.
The first period featured a tight balance as both defenses settled in. The visitors grabbed a slim edge on timely three-pointers from Matt Thomas (a former Valencia Basket player) and Tim Schneider, while Nikola Kalinić answered with two triples to swing the score to 11-9 and then to 13-17 at the four-minute mark.
Oscar da Silva delivered the most memorable performance for Barça, delivering a life-best display in Europe. As the team’s only true power forward, his work ethic on the floor has become a source of pride for fans and teammates alike; the challenge remains to translate training-ground intensity into sustained production during game time.
Both sides fought for every rebound and every basket. The energy on the floor was palpable, with Barça pushing hard to establish momentum. A montage of fast breaks and relentless pursuit of second chances typified the contest, captured by the post on Movistar Plus+ and social media clips showing the battle for every possession.
The second quarter saw Matteo Spagnolo from Madrid’s youth system begin to tilt the balance back toward Barça, scoring 29-22 at one point before the visitors steadied. Barça finished the opening half strong, closing the quarter with a 31-26 edge, and then extended it to 31-34 by the 14-minute mark as Berlin tried to regain footing.
Head coach Roger Grimau responded to Valencia’s stop-start rhythm by calling a timeout to inject urgency and intensity. The break yielded the desired effect as Barça emerged with a 20-5 surge for a 51-39 halftime margin, a sign of the team’s readiness to dictate the tempo on their home floor.
The back-to-back three-pointers from Laprovittola, delivered at a moment when Berlin pressed hardest, proved decisive. Da Silva and Vesely found rhythm, and they capitalized on the mismatch against Chad’s Chris Koumadje, known for his towering presence at 223 centimeters, to widen Barça’s lead.
In the third-period push, Rokas Jonaitis and Jokubaitis helped extend the rhythm with an 8-0 burst in the opening stretch, underscoring Palau’s readiness for a festive night and signaling a relatively comfortable victory for the Grimau era. Berlin’s defense remained under pressure as Barça widened the gap toward a comfortable trance into the final stretch.
The return of Willy Hernangómez brought a dominant burst, scoring seven consecutive points and reasserting Barça’s inside presence. Spagnolo’s struggles to solve the ALBA defense were noted, as the Berlin bench, under the guidance of coach Israel González, tried to shore up the interior with mixed results. By the end of the third, Barça stood at 80-51, a clear signal of the game’s direction.
Barça closed the night with an 84-53 lead before Berlin found some late momentum, finishing at 93-77. The team will now shift focus to the Endesa League, with a trip to Manresa on Sunday ahead of their Copa del Rey commitments.
Final lineups: 93 Barcelona: Satoransky (5), Laprovittola (13), Kalinic (9), Da Silva (10), Vesely (11) -starting five-, Hernangómez (18), Parker (4), Brizuela (4), Parra (–), Jokubaitis (13), Paulí (4), Nnaji (2). 77 ALBA Berlin: Hermansson (6), Thomas (6), Delow (9), Schneider (14), Wetzell (–) -starting five-, Koumadje (4), Procida (6), Spagnolo (11), Thiemann (8), Matisseck (6), Nikic (4), Bean (3).
Referees: Milivoje Jovcic, Ioannis Foufis and Michele Rossi. Unsportsmanlike fouls were called on Jokubaitis and Koumadje, while technical fouls affected the local and guest benches as the 26th Euroleague matchday unfolded before 6,976 spectators at the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona.