Brizuela's verdict in Sofia: Barça defeats Hapoel 90-93

The Barça overcame Hapoel Tel Aviv at the Arena 8888 in Sofia on matchday 10 of the Euroleague with a character-filled performance that allowed them to come back and close the game in the final moments. Darío Brizuela was again the undisputed protagonist, delivering an outstanding performance with 22 points from the second unit, a rating of 19, and, most importantly, the winning basket with five seconds left. The San Sebastian shooting guard has proven to be a key player in decisive moments: just a week earlier, he had been pivotal in the Liga Endesa, hitting a decisive three-pointer against his former team in Málaga, securing a victory for Barça by 89-92.

At the Arena 8888, Brizuela displayed extraordinary efficiency, completing 8 of 9 attempts in two-point shots and 2 of 5 in three-pointers during 18 and a half minutes of play. His numbers reflect the control he had over the game at the times the team needed him most. In addition to his offensive contribution, Brizuela had to take on defensive responsibilities and playmaking duties due to the absences of Gibson and Juan Núñez, demonstrating his versatility on the court.

The Comeback in the Third Quarter

The match reached halftime tied at 46-46, but Hapoel pulled ahead in the early stages of the second half to establish a nine-point lead (58-49). During this phase, Elijah Bryant was especially productive from the free-throw line for the Israeli team, threatening to take control of the game. However, it was precisely in the third quarter that Barça showcased its best offensive and defensive performance.

Brizuela was the catalyst for the blue and garnet reaction, leading a 27-18 run that allowed Barça to finish the third period with a nine-point advantage (64-73). Sekulic's team even led by up to 14 points in the final quarter, seemingly sealing the match. However, Hapoel, far from giving up, tightened the game in the final moments and nearly forced overtime.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock, a three-pointer from Vasilije Micic and free throws from Bryant narrowed the gap to 90-91, with Justin Robinson already eliminated for five fouls. In that high-tension situation, Brizuela executed a lethal drive that sealed the victory. Micic attempted a three-pointer in the final moments to force extra time, but the shot did not go in, confirming the blue and garnet triumph.

Numbers of a Collective Victory

Beyond Brizuela's brilliance, Barça showed notable collective effort. Justin Robinson contributed 20 points and 6 assists, completing 3 of 6 attempts from deep. Josh Nebo was crucial in the interior game with 12 points and 10 rebounds, six of which were offensive, providing an advantage in board control. Tyrese Martin added 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Tosan Evbuomwan contributed 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench.

In the rebounding category, Barça clearly dominated with 42 boards, of which 16 were offensive, compared to Hapoel's 34. This control of the boards was decisive in managing the game's rhythm and limiting the opponents' second-chance opportunities. For Hapoel, Elijah Bryant had a solid performance with 25 points, completing a perfect 12 of 12 from the free-throw line and achieving a rating of 35. Vasilije Micic added 24 points and 7 assists, but his effort was not enough to avoid defeat.

The Coaches' Analysis

Sekulic, Barça's coach, positively assessed his team's performance in the press conference. "We played against a great team, the numbers don’t lie," said the coach. "That's why I have to congratulate the guys because they believed at all times in what we had to do, in how we had to stop them or limit them because they have many weapons in attack. We found the defensive and offensive form, and we also made generous plays regardless of who was on the court. This is a great victory for me," he added.

Robinson also commented on the win from the team's perspective: "We are a new team, and getting victories like this always holds great value." On the opposing bench, Dimitris Itoudis pointed to rebounding as a decisive factor: "Every game matters in the Euroleague, and this time we played against a team that had more desire than us because 40% of their missed shots were rebounded by them."

Fourth Consecutive Victory and Table Position

With this victory, Barça secures four consecutive wins in the Euroleague, having successively defeated Olimpia Milan, Bayern, Valencia Basket, and Hapoel Tel Aviv. The 4-1 away record reflects the team's ability to compete in challenging arenas, which is crucial in such a demanding competition as the top European category.

With a record of 7-3, Sekulic's team equals the records of Valencia Basket and Fenerbahçe, positioning itself in a privileged area of the standings. Above them sits Panathinaikos with an 8-2 record, although four games of the round remain to be played on Friday, including the clash between Olympiacos (7-2) and Crvena Zvezda (6-3), which could alter the table's configuration.

Barça will return to domestic competition on Sunday, November 8, at 12:00 PM in matchday 7 of the Liga Endesa, visiting Río Breogán. In the Euroleague, their next challenge will be on Friday, November 13, at 8:15 PM, peninsular time, on the court of Panathinaikos, a match that promises to be highly demanding against one of the strongest teams in the competition.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Brizuela sentencia en Sofía: Barça vence al Hapoel 90-93