Barcelona began their title defense in the Endesa League with a 95-79 victory over Joventut in a Catalan derby clash.
In the Catalan derby, Barcelona proved superior to Joventut in the opening match of the new season, overcoming minor obstacles to break down their opponents. The first half was closely contested on the scoreboard, but that quickly changed.
Joventut held on until the 27th minute of the game, but Barcelona, with a 12-point surge, broke the resistance of the team that competes in the EuroCup. Barcelona scored over 20 points in each quarter, with their most prolific performance coming in the final quarter, where they added 27 points to their tally.
EL CAMPIÓ S'ESTRENA AMB 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎̀𝐑𝐈𝐀. pic.twitter.com/VmdIMZ8FRq
— Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) September 24, 2023
What characterized this match was Barcelona’s well-distributed scoring. Jabari Parker led the way with 13 points, followed by Nikola Kalinić with 11 points. On the opposing side, Andrew Andrews contributed 15 points.
Baskonia and Bilbao also enjoyed success. Baskonia defeated Breogan 88-79 on the road. Markus Howard was the standout, scoring 29 points in the season opener. New signing Chima Moneke made an impressive debut for Baskonia with a double-double, recording 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Bilbao secured a convincing win over Andorra. In a high-scoring affair, they reached 95 points, sinking 10 three-pointers out of 20 attempts. Adam Smith was the top scorer with 15 points, followed closely by Markel Starks with 14.
Barcelona’s next game will be an away match against Palencia, while Baskonia travels to Murcia. Bilbao will rest until September 30 when they face Baskonia in a Basque derby.