2018-19Regular SeasonRound 5
FC Barcelona Lassa 74
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 58
November 01, 2018 CET: 21:00
Local time: 21:00 PALAU BLAUGRANA

Barcelona sinks Maccabi, extends winning streak

FC Barcelona Lassa won its third consecutive game in beating visiting Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 74-58 on Thursday night at Palau Blaugrana. Barcelona ran away to a big lead with a 25-7 third quarter, and went on to improve to 3-2 record on the season, while Maccabi dropped to 1-4. Victor Claver had 14 points and 7 rebounds in victory, Kyle Kuric scored 10 of his 13 points in a key third-quarter stretch, and Ante Tomic finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds on the night he set the all-time record for two-point shots made in the competition. Angelo Caloiaro had 11 points in defeat, and Johnny O'Bryant scored all of his 10 points in the first half for Maccabi.

Two teams struggled to find their offensive rhythm early, but feasted on offensive boards. One such second-chance triple by Chris Singleton put Barcelona up 9-7. O'Bryant answered for Maccabi, but a transition triple from Claver capped a 7-0 run that helped the hosts take an 18-12 lead after 10 minutes. A three from Kuric and a put-back from Tomic helped Barcelona hold the lead, but big man O'Bryant hit a pair of triples and added a driving layup to put Maccabi in front 28-31. However, Tomic made a basket to break the EuroLeague all-time record for two-point shots made and Claver scored twice from close range to give Barcelona a 34-33 halftime lead. After the break, it was all Barcelona. The hosts allowed only one field goal in the first five minutes of the quarter, while Tomic, Singleton, Kuric and Kevin Pangos fueled a run that opened a 48-35 lead. Caloiaro snapped the run with a three-pointer, but Claver hit a triple for Barcelona before Kuric hit back-to-back shots from downtown, opening a 59-40 lead at the end of the third quarter. Thomas Heurtel hit a pair of floaters to make it 67-44 in the fourth quarter. The visitors cut into the deficit with triples from Michael Roll, John DiBartolomeo and Caloiaro, but never managed to come closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

Key stretch

Barcelona had 10 offensive rebounds in the first 13 minutes of the game, but could not capitalize on those. The hosts pulled away, however, in the third quarter when they locked down defensively and forced Maccabi into attempting tough shots. That led to some transition baskets and a 14-2 run that broke the game open.

Record-breaking stat

Barcelona center Ante Tomic moved into the first place on the all-time chart for two-point shots made in the EuroLeague. Entering the game, Tomic needed 3 two-point shots to catch Mike Batiste who led the all-time standings with 949 shots made inside the arc. Tomic went on to make 4 two-point shots in the first half, breaking the record. He finished the game with 952 two-point baskets.

Making his way back

Adam Hanga returned to action and made his first EuroLeague appearance this season after being sidelined due to a knee surgery he underwent during the summer. The former EuroLeague Best Defender played 10 minutes and finished with 2 points, 3 rebounds and 3 drawn fouls. Hanga is expected to give Barcelona's rotation a big boost once he gets back to full speed.

Did you catch?

The EuroLeague's career scoring king, Juan Carlos Navarro retired over the summer after 21 professional seasons, 20 with Barcelona. In a special ceremony before the tip-off, Jordi Bertomeu, Euroleague Basketball President and CEO, presented Navarro with an award as a tribute to his career, and also a framed copy of his first-ever scoresheet as a EuroLeague player.

Next game

In Round 6, Maccabi will host reigning champion Real Madrid on Tuesday, while Barcelona travels to faces Khimki Moscow Region a day later.

Kyle Kuric - FC Barcelona Lassa - EB18
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Euroleague.net
Referees: BOLTAUZER, MATEJ; JOVCIC, MILIVOJE; MANTYLA, PETRI
Attendance: 6772
By Quarter1234
FC Barcelona Lassa18162515
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv1221718
End of Quarter1234
FC Barcelona Lassa18345974
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv12334058
FC Barcelona Lassa
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
1 SERAPHIN, KEVIN 11:25 6 3/5     1 2 3 1   1 1   4   4
3 PANGOS, KEVIN 26:09 7 2/5 1/4     1 1 6 1 3     2 1 5
5 RIBAS, PAU DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6 SINGLETON, CHRIS 27:09 9 2/4 1/3 2/3   4 4 1   2 1   2 3 9
8 HANGA, ADAM 9:58 2   0/1 2/2   3 3             3 7
9 BLAZIC, JAKA 6:16     0/2     1 1     1         -2
13 HEURTEL, THOMAS 18:57 6 3/6 0/2 0/1   3 3 5 1 5     1 2 5
14 PUSTOVYI, ARTEM 0:45                              
18 ORIOLA, PIERRE 12:51 5 1/2 0/1 3/5 1 6 7     2     1 3 8
24 KURIC, KYLE 28:38 13 2/2 3/6   1 1 2 1 1       2   12
30 CLAVER, VICTOR 30:02 14 3/4 2/2 2/2 1 6 7 2 1   1 1 2 1 22
44 TOMIC, ANTE 27:50 12 6/13   0/1 7 1 8 1 1 1       4 17
Team           3 4 7               7
Totals 200:00 74 22/41 7/21 9/14 14 32 46 17 5 15 3 1 14 17 94
        53.7% 33.3% 64.3%
Head coach: PESIC, SVETISLAV
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
0 RAY, KENDRICK 13:34 2 1/3 0/1     2 2 1 2     1 2 1 2
1 WILBEKIN, SCOTTIE 21:05 2 1/2 0/4         2 1 2       1 -1
3 O'BRYANT, JOHNNY 29:23 10 2/8 2/4 0/1 1 5 6 1 1 2     2 4 9
4 CALOIARO, ANGELO 21:58 11 1/4 3/5     1 1 2 2 1     4 2 8
5 ROLL, MICHAEL 35:02 7 2/4 1/4   1 1 2 6 1 1     3   7
7 KANE, DEANDRE 29:55 7 1/4 1/3 2/5 1 2 3 1   1   2 1 3 2
8 AVDIJA, DENI DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
9 TYUS, ALEX 30:42 9 4/7   1/2 2 6 8   1 1 1   2 3 15
10 LEVI, NIMROD DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12 DIBARTOLOMEO, JOHN 8:27 6   2/3     2 2 1 1 1         8
15 COHEN, JAKE 5:36 4 2/2                     3   1
50 ZOOSMAN, YOVEL 4:18     0/1     1 1                
Team             2 2     1         1
Totals 200:00 58 14/34 9/25 3/8 5 22 27 14 9 10 1 3 17 14 52
        41.2% 36% 37.5%
Head coach: SPAHIJA, NEVEN

Head Coaches

PESIC, SVETISLAV
FC Barcelona Lassa
"We didn't play bad in the first 20 minutes. We played good defense and had good control of rebounds, but we didn't do our defensive job and didn't get defensive rebounds. In the third quarter, we started to play our basketball from defense. We took a great advantage, got inside points, then Kuric made 2 consecutive three-pointers and after that everything was a little bit easier. The atmosphere was better than usual. We are very happy when the gym is full, like tonight. They helped us a lot. In the EuroLeague, it is always important the support of our fans. I say 'thank you' for their support, and hope they will come next time."
SPAHIJA, NEVEN
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"I would like to congratulate Barcelona for the win. I think that tonight, the third quarter decided the game. It is unacceptable to allow 25 points and score just 7 [in the third quarter]. It was the key for the game tonight. I think that the first half was good and hoped we could keep the same level for the whole game, but, unfortunately, we couldn't. We had terrible defense and offense in the third quarter, and they played outstanding at both ends of the court. Wilbekin only had one practice with the team before this game. His thumb still bothers him and it is his shooting hand. It is very difficult to play like this. Also, our starting point guard Pargo is out, and he could have released that pressure from him, also Tarik Black didn't play tonight... It is too much for us. We don't need excuses, this is the EuroLeague and you have to play better to try to win. For us, it is a problem if these players are injured. For me, Barcelona is always the same; the crowd is good and the team is good. Sometimes, results go up and down, but I think Barcelona is always at the same level, the crowd and the team."

Players

TOMIC, ANTE
FC Barcelona Lassa
"We played decent defense tonight, especially in the third quarter. We had problems in the third quarter in the last few games, especially on defense, allowing our opponent team to score a lot of easy points, but not tonight. We were very focused and that was the result of the game tonight."
CLAVER, VICTOR
FC Barcelona Lassa
"I think that we were very focused against this very physical team, which plays fast with a lot of one-on-one [situations], too. In the first half, they got some easy baskets with second chances, but I think that the main thing we did today was the beginning of the second half. I think we played more physical than them and that is why we got a big advantage."
TYUS, ALEX
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"It was a tough game for us. Unfortunately we didn’t get the win. There was a point where we couldn't score. I think we need to do a better job of trying to get easy baskets for each other, I think that this was the key. They only scored 74 points; we did a solid job defensively other than rebounds, but I think we can play better in the future. "
O'BRYANT, JOHNNY
Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv
"Great first half, I think we executed defensively and offensively. In the second half, we just went flat; we just got to do a better job at coming out strong. It was a bad third quarter. We fell apart as a team. We gotta be better, we gotta be a lot better."