ESP - Navarro sparks Barcelona in deciding fifth game against Tau

VITORIA (ACB) – Juan Carlos Navarro scored nine points in an 11-0 surge midway through the third quarter to break open a close contest and propel Winterthur Barcelona past Tau Ceramica in the deciding fifth game of their ACB play-off semi-final.

Barca, this year’s Copa del Rey winners, won 95-79 and will now face Real Madrid in a best-of-five title showdown after their bitter rivals edged DKV Joventut 65-61 in Tuesday’s other last four, fifth-game decider.

Navarro and Gianluca Basile led the way with 23 points apiece for the visitors while Tau got 16 points from Serkan Erdogan.

In a real thriller played at Tau’s Fernando Buesa Arena, the game was knotted at 46-46 when Navarro erupted.

First he scored inside the arc, and after Basile followed with a basket, Navarro struck with a three-ball.

Tau then lost their composure, with Lou Roe fouling Navarro and then getting slapped with a technical.

Navarro would end up making four consecutive free throws to stretch the lead to 57-46.

Tau got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Dusko Ivanovic, the Barcelona boss who was coaching against his former team, watched his players shoot an impressive 63% (24 of 38) inside the arc and 40% (eight of 20) beyond it.

Tau finished 44% (17 of 38) from two-point range and 31% (six of 19) on their three-ball attempts.

FIBA