Barça takes a step back in Kaunas
Those of Jasikevicius leave doubts again with half work and defeat against Zalgiris
MADRID, 20 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça lost (73-72) this Thursday against Zalgiris Kaunas in the fourth day of the Euroleague, a duel that was in tow but that he knew how to come back to have him within range, unable to sentence without quality or success in the last possessions.
Sarunas Jasikevicius’s men left much of the good feeling of their last four victories in a game of ups and downs. He failed him in attitude, aggressiveness to deal with a demanding start, and accuracy, resurrected by Higgins in the third quarter, but unable to kill when he had the option. The culé team is left with a 2-2 in the table, the same as Zalgiris.
The intensity of those from Kaunas made the ‘Saras’ team recede in image, surpassed on both sides of the pitch in attitude and, as a consequence, in positive actions. The downturn culé became dangerous on the way to the locker room, arriving with a 44-35.
Satoransky and Jokubaitis gave the away game a correct direction but, with no options to run because of the rebound deficit, the thickness took over the Barça attack. Zalgiris’ defense left no loose ends and Barça sweated from the first quarter (20-19).
An ex like Smits, Ulanovas, Evans and Bradzeikis left the ‘Saras’ team in tow from the start and unable to match that physical defense. The Lithuanian coach’s quarrels did not change the script, which worsened as the minutes went by, with Sanli’s make-up but far from the version achieved in recent weeks.
Barça did not improve after the restart and looked into the abyss without ideas in attack, entangled in losses, punishing Smits (48-37). At that moment Higgins burst in with his first points, until he went to 10 in a row, which lifted Jasikevicius’ men.
Jokubaitis completed the comeback (50-51) but Zalgiris did not throw in the towel. Laprovittola threatened to wake up but it was just that and it was Vesely’s turn to put out the umpteenth fire. On the Lithuanian side, Evans (18 points) joined the party in a tight finale that, despite everything, seemed to be tinged with Barça (69-70).
The local team did not succeed but neither did a Barça that had up to three attempts, finally grabbing important rebounds, to sentence 26 seconds from the end. Butkevicius did plug it in to change the film and, with the free kick procession, Barça had one attack left to win the game, but the ball went from hand to hand without anyone daring to throw it.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: ZALGIRIS KAUNAS, 73 – BARÇA, 72. (44-35, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
ZALGIRIS KAUNAS: Evans (18), Ulanovas (15), Bradzeikis (6), Smits (15) and Hayes (2) –quinteto inicial– Lekavicius (2), Dimsa (6), Lukosiun (-), Cavanaugh ( -), Butkevicius (5), Birutis (4).
BARÇA: Satoransky (10), Laprovittola (8), Kalinic (4), Tobey (4) and Sanli (8) –starting quintet–, Vesely (12), Da Silva (4), Abrines (2), Jokubaitis (10), Higgins (10), Pauli (-).
–PARTIALS: 20-19, 24-16, 11-21, 18-16.
–REFEREES: Jovcic, Mogulkoc and Rossi. Without eliminated.
–PAVILLION: Zalgirio Arena.