Barcelona has roared back to life in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs, refusing to be swept by AS Monaco in their thrilling quarterfinal series. After being dominated in the first two games, Joan Peñarroya’s injury-riddled squad showed resilience, clinching a 79-72 victory in Game 4 at Palau Blaugrana to force a do-or-die Game 5 in Monte Carlo. The winner will punch their ticket to the Final Four in Abu Dhabi.
The game was a rollercoaster of drama and tension. In the final moments, Jordan Loyd had a chance to tie the score for Monaco with a three-pointer but missed after sinking a floater earlier. On the other end, Kevin Punter sealed the win for Barcelona with clutch free throws, finishing with 11 points.
Dario Brizuela and Jabari Parker were the heroes for Barcelona. Brizuela shined with timely scoring, ending with 17 points, while Parker led all scorers with 22 points. Monaco’s Mike James managed 16 points but struggled with efficiency, and Alpha Diallo added 13 in a losing effort.
Barcelona started strong, building an early lead and looking dominant. However, true to playoff form, Monaco fought back, erasing the deficit and taking a slim lead into halftime. They extended their advantage to +8 in the third quarter, but Punter’s stellar play sparked a Barcelona comeback, leveling the score heading into the final period. The fourth quarter saw Barcelona seize momentum, with Parker’s scoring and Punter’s composure proving decisive despite Loyd’s late push for Monaco.
