Fourth-quarter defense carries Barcelona to win over Estudiantes, fifth place

U18 FC Barcelona Lassa finished the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Qualifier Valencia in fifth place after beating U18 Movistar Estudiantes Madrid 92-74 thanks to a big fourth quarter. Tom Digbeu paced the 2016 continental champion with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Pau Carreno collected 17 points, 6 assists and 5 steals, Haris Bratanovic chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds and Borja Fernandez added 13 points and 5 rebounds in the victory. Estudiantes scored just 10 points in the final quarter and was out-rebounded 47-33 including 17 Barcelona offensive rebounds. Hector Alderete was Estudiantes’ leading scorer with 17 points, while Ignacio Condes added 13 points, Pablo Gonzalez 12 and Antonio Guerrero 11 points.

Barcelona jumped ahead 9-4 and Digbeu tallied 5 points to make it 18-13. Guerrero’s three-pointer started a 4-10 surge that put Estudiantes up 22-23 and the game was even at 25-25 after 10 minutes. A 7-0 spurt gave Barcelona a 32-28 lead and a second 7-0 surge had Barcelona up 42-32. Estudiantes closed the first half on a 2-9 run with another Guerrero three to head into intermission down just 44-41. Condes netted 5 points as Estudiantes remained close at 51-51. Digbeu countered with a pair of baskets as Barcelona surged ahead 60-51. Carreno followed with 2 three-pointers and the cushion was 71-61 before Alderete’s three made it 71-64 after 30 minutes. Alejandro Gonzalez trimmed the margin to 71-66, but Barcelona charged away with a 16-4 run with Bratanovic and Filip Siewruk combining for 11 points and an 87-70 advantage with under 3 minutes left. Estudiantes did not get closer than 15 points the rest of the way.