Zalgiris Kaunas beat FC Barcelona in a EuroLeague matchup, driven by Sylvain Francisco's 14 points in the fourth quarter. The Lithuanian side pulled away late against a rollercoaster Barcelona team. The loss pushes Barcelona out of playoff contention.
Zalgiris Kaunas defeated FC Barcelona in EuroLeague play, propelled by Sylvain Francisco's 14 points in the fourth quarter. The guard exploded after a quiet first half, hitting two triples and two free throws to push the score to 61-73.
The game stayed tight for three quarters. Zalgiris led 22-21 after the first, sparked by triples from Clyburn and Williams-Goss. Barcelona held a 39-40 halftime edge on Punter's buzzer-beater triple, with Willy Hernangómez, Brizuela, and Vesely countering Moses Wright's 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Post-halftime, Wright ruled the paint and Williams-Goss drove effectively, giving Zalgiris a 59-56 third-quarter lead. Juani Marcos's triple started the fourth, followed by a run featuring Williams-Goss, Brazdeikis, and Francisco to seal the win.
Barcelona's season has been turbulent: coach Peñarroya sacked, Xavi Pascual returned, hampered by injuries and losses, despite recent wins over Unicaja and Estrella Roja. Now out of playoffs, they face Panathinaikos, Monaco, and Bayern ahead.
