Clyburn and Punter Power Barcelona Past Tenerife in Game 2 of the Liga Endesa Semifinals
FC Barcelona secured a commanding 97-89 victory over Tenerife in Game 2 Photo Credit: Barca Basket
Palau Blaugrana was the stage for another compelling semifinal clash on June 11, as FC Barcelona pulled away from a resilient Tenerife side to take a 2-0 series lead. Despite a near-unstoppable Patty Mills, Barcelona’s depth and collective firepower proved too much for the Canary Island club to handle over 40 minutes.
A Balanced Attack That Tenerife Could Not Match
Will Clyburn (14 points) and Kevin Punter (15 points) were the catalysts in a shared offensive effort that defined Barcelona’s approach. Neither player needed to dominate individually — the beauty of Barcelona’s game was precisely that no single defender could focus on shutting one man down. Jan Vesely added 19 points in under 18 minutes, controlling the paint, while Youssoupha Fall contributed 16 points and 6 rebounds to reinforce Barcelona’s interior dominance.
The second quarter was where the game truly shifted. Nicolas Laprovittola, in just over 10 minutes of play, ignited an 18-4 Barcelona run with back-to-back 3-pointers, opening up a double-digit lead that gave the home side breathing room. By the early stages of the third quarter, Barcelona had stretched the advantage to 15 points (61-46), seemingly on course for a comfortable win.
Mills Fights Back, But Barcelona Holds Firm
Tenerife’s game plan was clear: get the ball into Patty Mills‘ hands at every opportunity, a deliberate shift from their Game 1 approach. The veteran Australian guard delivered in spectacular fashion, finishing with 36 points in just over 34 minutes — a display that was, by all accounts, almost impossible to contain. Marcelinho Huertas added 14 points and 7 assists, and Thomas Scrubb‘s back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter helped spark a Tenerife comeback that briefly leveled the scores for the first time since the opening period.
For a moment, the momentum had swung entirely toward the visitors. But Barcelona responded with an 8-0 run that put the game beyond doubt. A technical foul called on Tenerife head coach Txus Vidorreta effectively ended any remaining hope of a Tenerife comeback, and Barcelona closed out the 97-89 victory with composure.
The final box score read 25-27, 48-38, 69-63, 97-89 by period — a story of Barcelona absorbing pressure and answering every challenge with collective quality.
With a 2-0 series lead and two match points in hand, Barcelona now travels to Tenerife knowing that one more win separates them from the Liga Endesa Finals. Tenerife, for their part, will need far more than Mills’ individual brilliance to keep their season alive.
Comments