Barça has gone into a tailspin, crashing out of the Cup semi-finals, far from Madrid in the ACB – four wins less – and with four consecutive defeats in the Euroleague that have derailed it from the positions of honor, surpassed this time by a Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel with Oturu and Elijah Bryant in combustion, also due to the task of playing in an empty pavilion – as already happened with Maccabi – after being declared high risk and to avoid possible incidents, but also a clear competitive advantage for the visitor. Or, of course, also surpassed by having lost Laprovittola possibly for the remainder of the course after breaking the adductor longus tendon in his right leg, a goodbye that is added to that of last year, almost the entire year in the rebound shop. Or now Shengelia, who injured her soleus. Too many setbacks and setbacks that are difficult to digest that lead to a Barça without joy on the hardwood.
Xavi Pascual proposed a different approach from the beginning, with Punter as base and head of operations when he always acts as a two, a natural shooter and irredeemable scorer. But after opening the game, he noticed a discomfort in his back that made him go through boxes. Bad news to face a rival in which the law under the post is dictated by Oturu -seven of Hapoel’s first 10 points-, with Elijah Bryant as conductor and with Micic (the highest paid in the Euroleague) as the chilli pepper. But Barcelona did not get discouraged or wrinkled, already calm in the face of setbacks and with a competitive soul, which brought out its best version. Vesely began the dance with a triple and with those elegant shots from mid-range, the sweetness of the wrist. He was followed by Clyburn, who is gaining color and form in search of being that reference player, in addition to Cale, who lately adds the characteristic of having points in his hands to the usual one of stopper. 26-19 as an appetizer, a round Barça.
But Hapoel, a team made up of the checkbook of Israeli billionaire Ofer Yannay, got serious, with legs to play tackle and a lot of muscle in the bottle, an expressive partial of 0-10. Odiase, Randolph and the other winter signing -in addition to Micic-, Blakeney, too many carats with nine Americans among the 12 talludos. Some who missed almost nothing – 16 of 20 in two-point shots at the start – and who opened a bit of a gap at the intermission (40-46), led by a Bryant who seemed to play at recess, an abuser of talent. But Barça remained screwed into the game due to Clyburn’s persistence in returning to what he was.
The Barça team continued in its thirteenth attempt to stay on its feet in the duel, supported by Satoransky, but Bryant was sweet, a leader with the ball in his hands and with the shot as his flag. Although for the exercise of authority that of Oturu (22 points), who ruled the low post without the rival finding the recipe, neither Vesely nor Hernangómez nor Fall. Nor anyone. 66-60 to reach the last chapter, Barça once again defeated in the distribution of candy – they finished the challenge with 11 assists to Hapoel’s 19 – and without aim from the periphery (6 of 20) – A trend that did not change in the dessert of the challenge, although it did reactivate Barça through the pass – Pascual’s demand in a time-out -, which did not close the gap because the referees did not sanction a clear foul on Clyburn that ended with the Barça coach’s scoreboard on the parket, a gesture of rage. But Hapoel knew how to put the game in formaldehyde and take the victory that shoots into the noble zone and unsettles Barça.
