Reigning NIJT champion Fiatc Joventut Badalona remained in the running to return to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four spectacle by clinching a spot in the semi-finals of the Torneig de Básquet Júnior “Ciutat de L’Hospitalet” with a 78-66 win over FC Barcelona. Joventut will face Real Madrid in the first Sunday semifinal. In a re-match of the 2013 NIJT final, Joventut was never really threatened in improving to 2-1 in Group B. Sergi Costa paced Badalona with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while Oscar Amo had 15 points and 9 rebounds, Marc Bauza had 12 points and Zoran Nikolic 10. Barcelona dropped out of contention for the semis in falling to 1-2 despite 27 points and 11 rebounds from Marc Garcia. Barcelona scored the first four points and led 5-4 before Joventut moved ahead 7-12. Garcia helped Barca back ahead 13-12 but Badalona was up 17-23 after 10 minutes. Joventut quickly pushed the lead to eight points early in the second quarter 19-27 and continued to pull away with Marti Fonolla and Costa both knocking down long balls in opening a 33-49 advantage. At the break it was 35-49. Costa’s three-ball extended the cushion to 19 points – 37-56 – early in the second half. Barcelona was briefly able to cut the deficit to 15 points but Amo’s two free throws made it 42-63. Joventut was leading 49-67 after 30 minutes. Ramon Vila and Garcia got the margin down to 60-69 in the fourth quarter, but Costa nailed a triple to make it a 13-point lead. And Nikolic’s basket pushed the advantage to 14 points with two minutes left to decide the game.