ESP - Barcelona stay alive with home win over Real Madrid

BARCELONA (ACB) - Winterthur FC Barcelona kept alive their hopes of claiming the ACB title after coming out on top in Friday's must-win home encounter with Real Madrid.

Madrid went into the game with a 2-0 lead in the five-match play-off final series, and knowing a victory on Barcelona's home court at the Palau Blaugrana would see them crowned Spanish champions.

With no team ever having come back from 2-0 down to win the trophy in an ACB play-off final, Barcelona went into the game knowing they would have to make history to win this year's crown.

Barca started and finished with a bang to clinch a thrilling 75-70 victory and send the series to a fourth meeting, which will take place in Barcelona on Sunday.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd, Barca were unstoppable at the start of the game with Jaka Lakovic and Juan Carlos Navarro (two) downing three early three-pointers between them as the home side raced into a 15-0 lead.

Shell-shocked Madrid scored just one point on the opening six minutes - that coming from a Raul Lopez free throw - as Barca ended the first period in total control at 24-8.

Madrid regrouped at the end of the opening quarter though, and they whittled Barca's lead back to six points at 30-24 midway through the second period.

However, Barca managed to stay at arm's length and went into the interval 39-32 ahead before another rapid start from the hosts at the start of the third quarter saw Dusko Ivanovic's side extend their advantage to 45-32.

But Madrid stormed their way back into it and a superb 16-5 run helped them get back to within two points at 50-48, before a buzzer-beating Louis Bullock three-pointer put the visitors ahead at 54-53 right at the end of the period.

That was Madrid's first lead of the match and Bullock quickly added five more points at the start of the fourth period to increase that advantage to 59-55.

At that stage it looked as though Barca had peaked too early, but the Catalan side went on a 14-2 run to establish what proved to be a decisive 70-61 lead heading into the final two minutes.

Madrid could find no way back after that and they must now win on Sunday to avoid the series going to a winner-takes-all fifth game.

Barca's leading light was Navarro with 18 points and five rebounds, but the way the home side limited the threat of Madrid star Felipe Reyes was also key.

Reyes scored 40 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as Madrid won their two home games, but he was limited to just five points and six rebounds on Friday - with all the points coming in the final 90 seconds.

In Reyes' stead, Bullock paced Madrid with a game-high 21 points.

Mike Perez

FIBA