euroleague – third quarter – working day 1
“It’s an option,” said the sports director of the Barcelona basketball section, Juan Carlos Navarro, about the continuity next season of coach Sarunas Jasikevicius, whose contract ends this summer. The defeat in the semifinals against Madrid has left the Lithuanian coach with one foot out of the club despite three continuous presences in the Euroleague Final Four, and with the outcome of the ACB ahead. This Sunday, after losing in the match for third place against AS Monaco (78-66), the coach delved into that feeling of condolences: “They were more motivated than us. It’s very difficult, I understand the boys because it has been a very tough stick for them, although you have to compete. We have come out too sad, very soft. There is no formula, you have to get up and show character. Life goes on. We didn’t really want to play. We have done very good things in nine months of the season and now we have nothing, zero. It’s a huge disappointment for me.”
Against Monaco, Barcelona appeared like a lost soul, still with slumped shoulders. For the Monegasque team it was the chance to show off, the opportunity to climb to the third step of the European podium in their first contest in the Final Four. For the Catalans it was a penance. Nothing symbolized it better than his star, Mirotic, again disappeared in a very gray first part, although it later became intoned. Barça was barely encouraged by Abrines’ triples while he conceded holes on all sides in defense and continued with cloudy ideas in the other ring (19-10, 24-13). A soft hand in Jasikevicius’s team, which changed and changed pieces and ordered the match to stop without any key activating his men. Not a cry of encouragement or reaction was heard from the Barcelona fans (30-19, 44-26). Mirotic’s first basket came 17 and a half minutes into the game. Monaco danced as they pleased, with many pawns adding up.
From Jasikevicius’s review of homework poorly done, Barça came out of the break with at least one more point of effort and sacrifice in defense. Laprovittola and Mirotic teamed up to add points to the cause, although the power forward committed the third foul and returned to the bench as a spectator. The script did not change at Monaco, spirited, fast and hard-working, a well-armed team (55-42, 66-49).
The timid reaction did not serve Barcelona more than to avoid a major disaster. Without a hint of defensive tension, without a heart, the Barcelona fans let themselves go, in a hurry to end the suffering in Kaunas. Even Jasikevicius was looking at the ground, resigned and helpless. With 78-66 (15 points from Mirotic) a Final Four ended that hits the present and the future of the team. Barça decided not to stay for the final between Olympiacos and Madrid and to return home immediately.
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