Joventut de Badalona captured the Catalan derby against Barcelona on Sunday with an 83-72 victory before a packed Palau Olimpic crowd of 12,166. The win served as a basketball masterclass from a Penya squad that reminded everyone of the club’s glory days, especially against the league leaders.
Andrés Feliz and Ante Tomic delivered 21 points each, while Simon Birgander added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Their combined output overwhelmed Barça, who struggled to find rhythm in the paint and were largely stifled by Penya from start to finish.
Penya came out strong, boasting an excellent first half in which they posted 50 points and built a 16-point cushion by the break, thanks in large part to Birgander and Tomic who combined for a productive 50-34 halftime tally. The home team stayed ahead by sticking to a patient, efficient game plan and leveraging the interior advantage early on.
Barça fought back at times, but the visitors kept their focus. They attacked with patience and precision, while Barcelona leaned on individual efforts and missed too many three-point attempts in the first half, finishing the period with nine turnovers that hampered any momentum.
Birgander opened the scoring flurry by scoring eight points early, supported by Pau Ribas’s timely three-pointer that gave the hosts a five-point edge at 14-9 with six minutes gone. Coach Jasikevicius trusted Davies to anchor the frontcourt after a substitution, but Barcelona could not master the paint the way Penya did.
In the second quarter, Tomic continued to impact the paint and Feliz handed the team a steady scoring presence after stepping up in the minutes following Guillem Vives’s absence. A 12-4 run pushed Penya to a ten-point advantage, 32-21, at the 14-minute mark, forcing Barcelona to recalibrate as they chased the scoreboard.
Barça leaned on Davies, who proved formidable in the paint. Jasikevicius also looked to Mirotic and Calathes in an attempt to balance the flow, yet the team did not find the right combination to slow Penya’s attack.
The locals extended their lead with improved three-point shooting, hitting five of eight attempts in a strong shooting stretch that widened the gap to a commanding margin by halftime, placing Penya at 50-34. Tomic’s interior presence and reliable rebounding were pivotal as they controlled multiple sequences in the paint.
Exum’s scoring spurt helped Barcelona trim the deficit in the third quarter, and Busquets pressed for stops to keep the visitors within reach. Barcelona tightened up defensively, allowing just 13 points in a focused defensive spell, and Laprovittola and Mirotic rallied the offense to reduce the deficit to ten at the end of the period, 63-53.
Exum and Kalinic-like contributions from other Barcelona players kept the pressure on Penya, yet the visiting defense remained stubborn. Penya maintained a disciplined attack, calling on Tomic and Brodziansky to influence each possession and resist any late surge from the home team, maintaining a 13-point edge through the 37th minute, 73-60.
Kuric and Calathes attempted to ignite a late push from distance, but Davies appeared fatigued after heavy minutes. The lead hovered around nine points, and a pair of free throws from Pau Ribas alongside Birgander’s timely contributions sealed the outcome for Badalona, preserving the 83-72 final score.
Data sheet:
83 – Badalona Youth: Feliz 21, Busquets 3, Parra 4, Brodziansky 4, Birgander 15, Ribas 10, Willis 2, Tomic 21, Ventura 3, Maronka -, Kraag -.
72 – Barcelona: Calathes 11, Exum 8, Abrines 2, Mirotic 14, Smits -, Davies 19, Martínez 2, Hayes 2, Laprovittola 6, Kuric 8.
Referees: Garcia Gonzalez, Bulto and Sanchez. The match formed part of the 26th week of the Endesa League and drew a large crowd at the Palau Olimpic in Badalona.