Xavi Pascual returned to the Palau Blaugrana, his true home in basketball, and he did so to give the Barcelona fans a victory against Asvel Villaurbanne (88-78) with still too many shadows in his game. The playmaking of Juani Marcos and the defense of Myles Cale were decisive for Barcelona, much improved in defense – it left its rival with 13 points in the last quarter – to obtain its eighth victory in the Euroleague.
Barcelona got too involved against an Asvel Villaurbanne who entered the Palau with only three wins in twelve games. Throughout the first half he gave the sensation of having the power to impose his superiority, but he proved incapable. The players are still assimilating the changes that Xavi Pascual brought with him. A coach who was returning home and who certainly didn’t like that his team allowed 25 points in the second quarter.
Toko Shengelia is a player who has as many virtues as wisdom. The Georgian is the total player. A 2.06 meter man who defends, rebounds, scores and assists. In just under eight minutes he kept his team up against the impetuous Asvel thanks to his six points and five rebounds. Satoransky, the helmsman, was forced to sit out for eight minutes in the absence of Nico Laprovittola, who will be out of action for about a month due to an injury.
Joel Parra, Shengelia’s replacement, may not contribute as much as his teammate, but he brought more intensity to Barça’s game. While Juani Marcos occupied the point guard position with good minutes and clearer ideas compared to the times of Joan Peñarroya. Barça, yes, lacked regularity and continuity. The team felt superior to their opponent and this led to a certain relaxation which Asvel took advantage of to stay in contention. Xavi Pascual’s men lacked precision, with many errors in well-chosen shots, and with the order to express their superiority. Nando de Colo (22 points and nine assists), a stainless Frenchman, has so much basketball in his hands that, at 38 years old, he is still important. Even more so, a determining factor for this team which is struggling to get out of the bottom of the Euroleague standings.
Barça were not entirely skilled in defense in the first half (45-44) and were particularly clumsy in committing personal fouls on the attackers of Pierric Poupet’s team, who in those 20 minutes made 22 free throws with only two errors. De Colo deserves a special mention, who also shines in this aspect, where he has not yet failed in the Euroleague after 46 shots. He is so successful that he uses all his experience to take fouls out of his defenders’ pockets (12/12 in this match).
Asvel began to believe in its options. The fourth victory was within reach and growing against a Barça that was too chaotic. Bodian Massa commanded the paint and it didn’t matter which center came through his domain. From outside De Colo expressed his qualities by scoring everywhere. But the French point guard, a historic point guard, needed rest and in the third quarter he found a good replacement in Thomas Heurtel, who was booed at his presentation due to the problems he had with the club and the request he had made of him for 1.5 million euros.
Kevin Punter (24 points) accepted the challenge of scoring in a Barcelona team that did not reach 50% accuracy in two-point shots. Juani Marcos became his ally at the end of the third quarter to bring the Blaugrana back into the lead (68-65). Inside, Pascual opts for the national product with Willy Hernangómez and Parra, powerful comebacks. The team is increasingly solid in defense and it is up to the Argentine point guard to change the dynamics of the game to allow Barça to finally believe in victory (75-67). Pascual’s team already felt invincible and two great defensive actions by Cale relaunched his team (80-69). Xavi Pascual’s Barça just needed to manage that advantage to continue growing in Europe.
