Three in a row for Cory Higgins capped a dramatic stretch as Barcelona and Baskonia clashed in an intense Euroleague showdown at Palau Blaugrana on a Friday night.
In his best showing of the season, the Californian guard dropped 17 points to become a key ally for his team. Jan Vesely contributed 18 points and a total of 25 valuation credits, while Markus Howard led Baskonia with 25 points on the scoreboard.
The matchup on paper promised a battle of styles. Barcelona boasted one of the league’s stingiest defenses and a controlled game plan, while Baskonia brought an electric tempo and a scoring punch that has often put up high totals in this competition.
From the opening minutes Baskonia revealed their intent with rapid, repeated three point attempts, stamping their approach with five consecutive shots taken by the starting five. Giedraitis and Henry connected with Şanlı and Kalinic as Baskonia opened a 6-6 ledger at the 3 minute mark.
Barcelona matched pace and strength on the glass, looking to their Serbian forward to punish Baskonia in the paint, tallying seven points in the fourth period while answering every Baskonia blow with precise ball movement and accurate shooting. Howard and Henry combined for eleven points, providing the visitors with early stability even as Barça pressed forward.
After a 22-22 opening period, the Catalan squad found a rhythm penetrating with their foreign trio Abrines, Higgins and Jokubaitis, pushing the lead to 35-27 by the 14th minute as Da Silva added two corner triples.
By halftime, the game featured a familiar pattern: the guards for Baskonia, led by Howard and Henry, kept pace with Barça. Howard contributed 14 points, hitting four of five from beyond the arc, while Henry added eight at the break. Da Silva’s horn sounded and kept Baskonia in the mix as the teams went to the locker room at 52-48.
Coming out of the break, Penarroya’s squad increased the aggression on both ends, stifling Barça with a tight defensive scheme and a relentless transition attack. The Catalan defense faced a early surge from Thompson and Henry, which briefly swung the momentum in Baskonia’s favor at 63-64 with 3:27 left in the third period.
Laprovittola answered for Barcelona with two timely three-pointers and a neat assist as the clock showed 76-68 with under a minute to play in the third. Still, Baskonia refused to surrender, catching fire again to level the score at 76-76 as the final period approached.
What followed was a rugged, physical finish. Higgins buried three consecutive triples to push Barcelona ahead 90-80 with 3:37 remaining, stretching the lead and deflating the visitors. Vesely stayed steady in the clutch, and with strong support from his teammates the home side closed out the game with a final 96-84 margin.,
Data sheet was tight and telling: Barcelona posted a balanced attack with Satoransky, Laprovittola, Kalinic, Tobey, Sanli, Da Silva, Vesely, Abrines, Higgins, Jokubaitis, and Nnaji contributing in the rotation. Baskonia answered through Howard, Henry, Giedraitis, Costello, Enoch, and a supporting cast that included Thompson and Hommes, among others. The referees were Matej Boltauzer, Milivoje Jovcic, and Joseph Bissang. Kotsar was fouled out late in the game, leaving Baskonia with one fewer big body on the floor in the final stretch.
The match, the tenth round of Euroleague action, drew 5,599 fans to Palau Blaugrana. Before tip-off, a statement against violence toward women was read by Barça CBS talent Ainhoa López and three players from the Barcelona youth academy, underscoring a commitment to sportsmanship on and off the court.