Barça withstand Norris and Jokubaitis to win in Munich

Barça held off strong performances from Miles Norris and Jokubaitis to win in Munich. Kevin Punter led the Catalan side with 23 points as it claimed its fifth victory of the season, in a game where former Barcelona players had a major influence for long stretches.

The trip to Munich was Barcelona’s second consecutive away game, following its win in Milan. The team was looking to keep its momentum on the road, but had to deal with a difficult spell: it conceded a 13-2 run, and for four and a half minutes Punter was the only Barça player to score. With the result also important to the standings, Sekulic’s team took advantage of a visit to an opponent near the bottom of the table.

Nebo helped spark the response. He finished a spectacular alley-oop with Robinson and helped Barça regain its footing. Miles Norris, who had previously played for Barcelona, was particularly effective at the other end. The first half saw the lead change hands several times; Norris had reached 14 points by the break, with his team ahead 42-41.

Barça turned the game around in the third quarter. Justin Robinson first drove to the basket repeatedly, before Kevin Punter connected from three-point range. The sequence helped the Catalans win the quarter 23-19. Balcerowski then scored close to the rim, leaving Barça three points ahead going into the final ten minutes.

Jokubaitis scored 17 points after the break and made the outcome uncertain. Other players stepped up alongside Punter in the fourth quarter, before Barça sealed the win at the free-throw line. The result takes its record to 5-3 in the standings and gives the team a second straight road victory. It was a significant response after the 13-2 run, against two players with a past at Barcelona.