Despite showing clear signs of physical exhaustion and, above all, mental exhaustion, Barça were able to settle their Endesa League quarter-final series against Gran Canaria this Sunday on the fast track, sealing their place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 scoreline.
The triumph, agonizing like few others, came with a basket by Cory Higgins on the buzzer. The Californian had already shown signs during the match that he is on the right track to recover his best form and confirmed it with a stratospheric basket in the middle of the playoffs.
Barça's rival in the semis, whose series will premiere next Friday at 9:00 p.m., will be the winner of the third and decisive duel between Joventut and Lenovo Tenerife that takes place this Tuesday in Badalona.
As happened in the first game, Barça did not offer a good version and was in tow for almost the entire game against a Gran Canaria that persisted guided by an always inspired and great Dylan Ennis, author of 26 points.
The azulgrana team lost by ten points on a couple of occasions already in the second half. First, when Pustovyi went up 54-44 (minute 23) after a brilliant start by the Canarian team in the third quarter. Suffocated that first revolution and even turning the scoreboard, incomprehensibly Barça suffered another blackout already in the last act and was 76-66 down. Then it was the turn of super classes like Mirotic or Laprovittola, who gradually cut back until drawing a very even ending.
With just over four seconds to go, Ennis concocted an unlikely backboard 3-pointer and tied it at 86, widening the possibility of overtime. But then Jasikevicius put the ball in the hands of Cory Higgins, who had already reached double figures in scoring with great individual actions, and the Californian executed the victory with a flawless five-meter basket.
86. Gran Canaria (18 28 20 20): Albicy (3), Brussino (5), Slaughter (4), Shurna (7) and K. Diop (15) -initial team-; Balcerowski (4), Pustovyi (8), Stevic (4), Chery (7), Salvó (3) and Ennis (26).
Coach: Porfirio Fisac.
88. FC Barcelona (15 26 22 25): Exum (4), Smits (6), Laprovittola (17), Mirotic (21) and Calathes (5) -initial quintet-; B. Davies (10), S. Martínez (2), Oriola (4), Higgins (12), Kuric (0) and Jakubaitis (7).
Entrenador: Sarunas Jasikevicius.
Referees: Juan Carlos García González, Jorge Martínez and Esperanza Mendoza. They eliminated the yellow player John Shurna by personnel.
Incidents: Match corresponding to the second quarterfinal match of the play-offs for the Endesa League title played at the Gran Canaria Arena before 7,029 spectators. Barcelona qualifies for the semifinals of the ACB League after winning 2-0 in the series against Gran Canaria.
