Barcelona romps past PGE Turow to remain unbeaten

FC Barcelona romped past PGE Turow 65-104 to remain undefeated in Group C. The victory lifted the Spanish champs to 8-0, while dropping the Polish champs to 1-7. The hosts were in it early and trailed 16-20 after 10 minutes. Boki Nachbar’s outside shooting highlighted Barcelona’s efforts to pull away in the second quarter as the visitors surged ahead 27-43 at halftime. The third quarter belonged only to Barcelona as Tomas Satoransky and Mario Hezonja completed highlight-reel slams in outscoring Turow by 20 in the 10-minute period. The lead peaked at 42 late on an Alex Abrines slam as Barcelona rolled to victory. Nachbar was 5 for 5 from downtown in racking up 17 points, while Mario Hezonja added 15, Ante Tomic 12 and Maciej Lampe and Abrines scored 10 each; every FC Barcelona player in uniform made a basket. Tony Taylor paced Turow with 17 points and Michal Chylinski finished with 12.

First quarter: After strong Barca start, Turow battles back

Barcelona started strong through Tomic inside and Brad Oleson from downtown. The Barcelona defense held strong and DeShaun Thomas made it 0-8 with a three. Chylinski sank a floater for Turow’s first points. Thomas struck again from downtown as the lead hit double figures at 2-12. Uros Nikolic came down and scored for the hosts and Filip Dylewicz’s came through with a steal and slam. Taylor heated up with a pair of fast break layups to make it 10-13. Tomic muscled his way to a bucket inside, but Damian Kulig kept Turow close with a jumper. Tomic continued to trouble the hosts. He drew Kulig’s second foul and put his team up 6 with a free throw. Nemanja Jaramaz hit a jumper and Chris Wright battled for a bucket on the offensive glass to make it 16-18. Tomas Satoransky raced downcourt for a layup to make it 16-20 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Nachbar helps Barcelona pull away

A Satoransky jumper and Justin Doellman triple extended the visitors’ cushion to 9. Taylor sank free throws, but Doellman came right back with a mid-range jumper. A brilliant Taylor to Chris Wright alley-oop was waived off after a foul on the floor, but Chylinski came right back with a runner in the lane. Lampe collected a miss and turned it into a three-point play to restore a 10-point lead, 20-30. After the TV timeout, Nachbar knocked down a triple and a minute later a long jumper for a 15-point advantage. Taylor penetrated to end the Turow drought, however Nachbar hit again from behind the arc to make it 22-38. Nikolic missed twice from the line and Dylewicz missed a wide-open three. Wright blocked Pleiss and Jaramaz sank a three at the other end. Oleson and Jaramaz traded free throws before a Tibor Pleiss jumper made it 27-43 at halftime.

Third quarter: Satoransky, Hezonja provide ShowTime highlights

Turow started the second half in style with Lukasz Wisniewski blocking an Olson jumper and then finding Wright for a nifty layup. Taylor hit a pull-up jumper, but Nachbar struck from downtown. Vlad Moldoveanu free throws made it 33-46. Marcelinho Huertas sank a jumper and Tomic added free throws. Thomas fired in a jumper before a Nachbar triple and Tomic layup completed a 0-11 run for a 33-57 lead. Ivan Zigeranovic scored inside to end the Turow drought, but Nachbar responded with his fifth three-pointer. Wisniewski scored next for the hosts before a timeout. Free throws by Huertas and Tomic followed by an Abrines bank shot set Barcelona up with a 37-65 lead. After a Wisniewski jumper, Kulig fouled out and Lampe made the resulting foul shots. Satoransky drove for a basket-plus-foul as the difference reached 31. Nikolic scored on a fluke play as his dunk bounced high off the back rim before falling in. Doellman fed Satoransky for a high-flying alley-oop slam at the other end. Hezonja made it 41-75 with a three-point play. ShowTime continued as Hezonja took a lob from Doellman for another alley-oop jam. Chylinski free throws were met by another Hezonja bucket to make it 43-79.

Fourth quarter: Visitors round out a resounding win

Lampe gave Barcelona a 43-81 lead with a jumper to start the quarter. Jaramaz scored 2 from the line and Chylinski connected from behind the arc. Hezonja and Chylinski traded threes as the defenses softened with the result no longer in doubt. Wisniewski banked in a shot to make it 53-84. Taylor added a fadeway jumper. Lude Hakanson buried a three for his first Euroleague points to make it 57-89 with four minutes to go. Hezonja put Barcelona into triple digits with a jumper and Barcelona made a little run to take the score to its highest on an Abrines slam, 62-104. Taylor ended the game for Turow with a three.