U18 FC Barcelona Lassa set up a dream showdown with rival and reigning continental champion U18 Real Madrid for the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Qualifying Tournament – Torneig de Bàsquet Junior Ciutat de L'Hospitalet title after racing past U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv 62-89 in the semi-final. Eric Vila collected 22 points and 10 rebounds while Aleix Font added 11 points and 10 rebounds for Barcelona, which will look to avenge an 87-55 loss to Madrid in the ANGT L'Hospitalet title game from last season. Maxim Esteban scored 13 points in the victory over Maccabi while Andrija Marjanovic added 12 points and Atoumane Diagne had 6 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. Barcelona’s defense decided the game, holding Maccabi to under 32 percent shooting. Ido Flaisher picked up 17 points and 11 rebounds and Amit Ebo had 14 points but Yovel Zoosman was held to 8 points for Maccabi.

Sergi Martinez started the scoring and a Vila three-point play had Barcelona up 0-6 early. Ebo’s three-pointer finally got Maccabi on the board after 3 minutes of play. Maccabi could not handle Diagne inside as the big man had two put-backs off misses in helping build a 5-15 lead. A steal and layup from Font pushed the margin to 7-19 before a Tomer Porat three-point play for Maccabi. Esteban added a three-pointer for the Spanish team, which led 14-25 after 10 minutes. Raimon Carrasco’s three-ball opened the second quarter and pushed the cushion to 14-28. Zoosman sparked a 7-0 run to close it to 23-30 but Esteban’s three-ball started a 0-10 run, which ended with Marjanovic’s trey to make it 23-40. Flaisher answered with 4 points as Maccabi closed the half with an 8-2 spurt to trail 31-42 at intermission.

Maccabi allowed just 1 point in the first 3 minutes of the second half and two Flaisher put-backs got the Israeli club as close as 35-43. Vila’s three-ball was Barcelona’s first basket of the quarter and another Vila three-pointer had the Spanish side ahead 36-54. Sergi Martinez scored a fast break layup to extend the margin to 40-59, and it was 42-62 after 3 free throws. Barcelona led 45-63 after 30 minutes. Four points from Vila and an Esteban three-ball increased the Barcelona lead to 47-70 early in the fourth quarter. Maccabi was able to trim the deficit to 51-72 with 5 minutes to play but Barcelona scored the next 9 points for a 51-81 advantage. Maccabi would not get closer than 27 points the rest of the way.