The Round 29 game between FC Barcelona and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade went down to the final two minutes. Barca needed a go-to guy, and Rokas Jokubaitis stepped up to make sure that his team cruised to its 19th victory.

Rokas Jokubaitis rescued Barcelona in crunch time

The Round 29 game between FC Barcelona and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade went down to the final two minutes. Barca needed a go-to guy, and Rokas Jokubaitis stepped up to make sure that his team cruised to its 19th victory.

Barca led 73-64 midway through the fourth quarter and, just when it seemed as though it was on its way to victory, Zvezda came back. Facu Campazzo began to cause plenty of headaches for the hosts, as he brought the guests as close as 75-73 with under three minutes left. 

But, then Jokubaitis appeared with three crucial plays: a wild layup-plus-foul, a jumper from the elbow and an assist, finding Nikola Kalinic for a three-pointer that sealed the deal, 83-76, with 50.9 seconds remaining.

Rokas Jokubaitis (8 points) Highlights vs. Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, 03/17/2023

Jokubaitis steps up for Barca

Jokubaitis's late heroics capped off one of his best games this season, finishing the contest with 8 points, 8 assists, just 1 turnover and a PIR of 12. Remember, the 22-year-old, who was chosen as the EuroLeague Rising Star last season, is eligible to win the award again. Barca coach Sarunas Jasikevicius gave Jokubaitis a lot of credit after the game, too: "He took these last two decisions and did really well. We found a situation in which he could do some damage. In the end, I believe he was solid all game long and these two possessions allowed us to get out of here with a victory."

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FC Barcelona v Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade (2023-03-17T19:30:00.000Z)

The odds were not on ALBA Berlin’s side before his Round 29 game against German archrival FC Bayern Munich. After all, Bayern had won all six of its previous games against ALBA in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, including two in overtime. In Round 7 of this current season, Bayern defeated ALBA 77-79, with Augustine Rubit and Andreas Obst each scoring 14 points.

ALBA grabbed its first EuroLeague win against Bayern

The odds were not on ALBA Berlin’s side before his Round 29 game against German archrival FC Bayern Munich. After all, Bayern had won all six of its previous games against ALBA in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, including two in overtime. In Round 7 of this current season, Bayern defeated ALBA 77-79, with Augustine Rubit and Andreas Obst each scoring 14 points.

Most of these games were decided in the last moments, however. When these two first faced each other in the EuroLeague, Bayern prevailed 76-77, and another three games have been decided by 6 points or less. The biggest margin Bayern had achieved against ALBA took place two seasons ago, when it beat ALBA 72-90 in Berlin.

Even this season, it has been tight whenever ALBA and Bayern have taken on one another in the German League, with both sides showing great balance. Finally, on Friday night, ALBA was able to make up for all the past disappointments by pulling out a victory on the last possession, which brought plenty of happiness to the players and head coach Israel Gonzalez.

“I was scared that we couldn’t reach the end \[of the game\] with fresh legs, but they were able to do it thanks to the heart they have," said Coach Gonzalez after the game. “I think it was a similar game to the last ones we had against them, decided in the last minutes. Tonight, were just better in the last moments.”

FC Bayern Munich v ALBA Berlin (2023-03-17T19:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona and Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade played a very physical game at Palau Blaugrana in Round 29. The hosts won the contest 85-79 by outhustling the visitors, and the numbers to prove it.

Barca outrebounded Zvezda 31-29, but it protected its rim far better than its opponent. In fact, Barca pulled down 24 defensive rebounds, allowing Zvezda to get just 7 offensive boards. In other words, Barca grabbed 77.4% of all rebounds under its rim. Things were different at the other end of the floor, however. Zvezda had 19 defensive rebounds, while Barca got 10 offensive boards. Zvezda could only grab 65.5% of all rebounds under its basket.

Barca had 3 blocks, 8 steals and limited its turnovers to just 11. Zvezda had worse numbers in all the main hustle stats: 0 blocks, 5 steals, 12 turnovers. Point guards Tomas Satoransky, Nico Laprovittola and Rokas Jokubaitis combined for 17 assists and just 5 turnovers, whereas Zvezda's trio of Facu Campazzo, Stefan Markovic and Luca Vildoza combined for worse numbers: 6 assists and 9 turnovers. Barca also excelled from beyond the arc, hitting half of its 20 three-point shots.

Barca outhustled Zvezda in Round 29

ALBA Berlin brought an end to its curse against FC Bayern Munich in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a last-second win at the Audi Dome on Friday night. In a game that saw as many as 15 lead changes, the visitors drew a perfect play with 6 seconds to go, in which Maodo Lo fed Yanni Wetzell for the winning slam. Already eliminated ALBA ended its three-game losing streak and improved to 8-21, while Bayern slipped to 11-18.

ALBA downs Bayern in the German derby, 75-76

ALBA Berlin brought an end to its curse against FC Bayern Munich in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague with a last-second win at the Audi Dome on Friday night. In a game that saw as many as 15 lead changes, the visitors drew a perfect play with 6 seconds to go, in which Maodo Lo fed Yanni Wetzell for the winning slam. Already eliminated ALBA ended its three-game losing streak and improved to 8-21, while Bayern slipped to 11-18.

Lo was the game's top scorer with 16 points, while he also added 4 assists. He was followed by Wetzell, who provided 11 points in as many minutes, and Tamir Blatt, who tallied 10 points and 7 assists. For Bayern, Cassius Winston had 14 points and 8 dishes, Isaac Bonga collected 12 points and 4 boards, and Niels Giffey added 11 points in the losing effort.

Lo came up big in the early going, scoring 10 points in a row that allowed ALBA to build a short 8-14 edge. Bayern struggled to score in the first period, displaying a below-par offensive performance that ALBA exploited to finish with a lead of 14-20 after 10 minutes.

The trend continued when the game resumed as the hosts were unable to chain together a couple of productive offenses. The visitors then profited from a Blatt basket outside and one apiece from Luke Simka and Louis Olinde inside to extend the margin to 29-38. But, Bayern reacted well, going on an 8-0 run in the final minutes of the quarter to get the fans off their seats once more. At the halftime break, ALBA led by just 1 point, 37-38.

Christ Koumadje stepped up after the break and provided inside baskets to keep ALBA in front, 41-46, but it didn’t last for long. Bonga showed up to provide a boost for Bayern, who finally found some accuracy from long range. Giffey, Vladimir Lucic and Corey Walden nailed 1 triple each late in the third quarter to turn the tables and put the home team ahead, 58-56, after 30 minutes.

Wetzell took over for ALBA early in the last period to prevent Bayern from escaping, putting his team in charge again, 63-64. The game became an exciting back-and-forth contest, with the lead switching hands on every possession. Jaleen Smith appeared to give ALBA a definitive lead with triple that established a 69-72 advantage, but Cassius Winston had a magic minute in which he scored 4 points in a row that set a 75-74 score for Bayern.

It all came down to the last offensive possession for ALBA. The visitors inbounded the ball with 6 seconds to go, putting the ball in the hands of Lo, who drove to the basket to feed Wetzell for a slam under the rim with just 1 second remaining. Bayern’s final offense wasn’t successful, giving ALBA a chance to earn bragging rights in the German derby for the first time in the EuroLeague.

Luke Sikma, ALBA: 'To get another EuroLeague win is awesome'

### Israel Gonzalez, ALBA Berlin head coach

“It feels great. I’m very happy for the players. They made a great effort, especially after playing on Tuesday in the domestic league. I was scared that we couldn’t reach the end \[of the game\] with fresh legs, but they were able to do it thanks to the heart they have. I think it was a similar game to the last ones we had against them, decided in the last minutes. Tonight, were just better in the last moments.”

### Andrea Trinchieri, FC Bayern Munich head coach

“We needed just one possession, a defensive stop. We made a mistake on the last one. It was a tight game. It’s very important to be able to make stops when it counts.”

### Maodo Lo, ALBA Berlin guard

“After every EuroLeague win, we are happy, we are relieved. It was a tough game against Munich, like it always is. All the games we had against them finished with a very low margin \[of victory for either team\]. Today, it was just 1-point difference. I’m very relieved that we won.”

### Luke Sikma, ALBA Berlin forward

“We feel great. To get another win in the EuroLeague is awesome. Big rivalry game, obviously, it adds a little something extra. We played well and getting a win on the road is great. It helps a lot to team’s spirit, so we're happy with that. It always seems that it's a bucket or two that decides the game, so it's a good thing that we were always in the game. Today, we came out on top, but every time we play these guys, it's going to be a battle. As a competitor, that's what you want."

Nikola Mirotic, Barcelona: 'We found the way to win'

### Sarunas Jasikevicius, FC Barcelona head coach

"I think that, if anything, my guys really fought. I thought Zvezda was desperate and this was the difference: fighting vs. desperation. It was a final for them, it is one of their last chances \[to make the playoffs\]. We have to understand that we are entering the last phase of the regular season and teams are going to go crazy just to win the game, get the home-court \[advantage\] and take it. First of all, you have to match that effort. We still have a long way to go. The most important thing in this EuroLeague, obviously, is to continue winning. But it was obviously an important win. In that sense, it is an important win coming after two losses. And I think it is important to feel this crowd again. They were unbelievable, it was one of big nights here in Palau. It was very loud.

"The home-court advantage is the minimum goal and I hope that we can get it. Teams will come here to play as if it was a final. I am very happy about how the guys come out, because Zvezda was playing for its life; \[it was\] more or less the game we were waiting for. He \[Rokas Jokubaitis\] took these last two decisions and did really well. We found a situation in which he could do some damage. They were letting him shoot and, in the first half, maybe he didn't take good decisions when we were being allowed to shoot, 'Should I shoot or not, should I drive or not?', but in the end, I believe he was solid all game long and these two possessions allowed us to get out of here with a victory. It is easier to play at home, there are 7,000 people with you, the noise is in your favor, and everyone cheers for you. We have experienced players and many of them over 30 years of age, plus a point guard like Rokas who has been at this level for some years now. I think we have to take a small step forwards and play with more continuity."

### Dusko Ivanovic, Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade head coach

"It was a tough game, a close game, and Barcelona maybe played better in these last seconds than us.

"First of all, congratulations to Barca. It was a tough game, a close game, and Barca played these last possessions better than us. In these decisive moments, with the game on the line, Barca may have played its options better than us. We have small chances \[to go to the playoffs\], but we will fight as if we had a big chance. It is the same to us, we will see what happens in the end."

### Nikola Mirotic, FC Barcelona forward

"It was a tough game, as we expected, against a team that is fighting for the playoffs. All credit to Zvezda for its amazing performance. They played a very physical, very competitive game and fought until the end. They really pushed us hard and I am happy with my team, how we performed tonight. First half, second half, we were solid all game and, in the end, we found the way to win. There are, if I am not wrong, 4-5 games left and we are fighting for home-court advantage, so we need to improve as team, especially at this stage, and stay healthy and get ready for what's coming."

### Jan Vesely, FC Barcelona center

"It was very, very aggressive and very, very physical. We had a good start, but after that, we went a little bit down. But, it is important that we stay focused on the game and got the win. We turned our energy on and that is what got us the win. It was a tough week. We knew it was a difficult road trip and we got two losses, but fortunately, it was a home game today. We have to build on today's game again."

FC Barcelona got closer to clinching a playoff spot on Friday night after topping Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 85-79 at Palau Blaugrana. The hosts improved to 19-10 in the standings after recording its fifth consecutive win at home. Zvezda dropped to 12-17 following its third straight defeat, which leaves it three wins behind eight place, the last spot in the playoffs.

Barcelona outlasts Zvezda, 85-79

FC Barcelona got closer to clinching a playoff spot on Friday night after topping Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 85-79 at Palau Blaugrana. The hosts improved to 19-10 in the standings  after recording its fifth consecutive win at home. Zvezda dropped to 12-17 following its third straight defeat, which leaves it three wins behind eight place, the last spot in the playoffs.

Jan Vesely and Nikola Mirotic paced the winners with 21 points apiece. Tomas Satoransky added 13, Alex Abrines had 12, while Rokas Jokubaitis dished 8 assists for Barca. Facu Campazo led Zvezda with 24 points. Filip Petrusev contributed 12, and Ben Bentil and Luka Mitrovic each had 11.

Abrines struck twice from downtown and Mirotic's fastbreak layup gave Barca a 10-5 lead. Mirotic hit a triple and Satoransky followed a dunk with a jump hook for a 17-13 Barca edge. Campazzo's driving layup brought Zvezda closer, 18-15, after 10 minutes. 

Mitrovic twice found the bottom of the basket and Campazzo scored in penetration to put Zvezda ahead, 20-21. Mitrovic got help from Petrusev to make it a 4-point game, 22-26. Jokubaitis and Mirotic combined for all 9 points in a 9-0 run that restored a 31-26 Barca advantage. Abrines hit 2 more from beyond the arc and Vesely added a three-point play to keep the hosts ahead, 40-36, at halftime.

Satoransky and Mirotic each struck from beyond the arc to make it a double-digit game, 46-36, right after the break. Zvezda found a go-to guy in Campazzo, who nailed 3 three-pointers and found Stefan Markovic for another one, bringing Zvezda within 50-48. But, Nico Laprovittola and Mirotic stepped up for Barca, restoring a 57-51 edge. Campazzo scored again, Bentil dunked and Vildoza's jumper tied it, 57-57, after 30 minutes. 

Vesely took over with a three-point play early in the fourth quarter. Nikola Kalinic and Mirotic inspired a 10-0 run that saw Barca begin to pull away, 69-59, with over six minutes left. Petrusev and an unstoppable Campazzo, however, brought Zvezda within 78-76 with 1:46 remaining. Yet, in the closing stages, Rokas Jokubaitis hit a critical jumper and Kalinic struck from downtown to seal the outcome.

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Live Blog: ALBA, Barcelona come out on top!

One of the standout players in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season has been Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward Filip Petrusev, with the 22-year-old displaying his clear potential in a leading role under head coach Dusko Ivanovic. Back in his hometown of Belgrade after a year with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Petrusev – the Round 17 MVP – has been able to silence some doubters with his performances on the court.

Filip Petrusev, Zvezda: 'This is where I feel comfortable'

One of the standout players in the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season has been Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade forward [Filip Petrusev](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/filip-petrusev/011194/), with the 22-year-old displaying his clear potential in a leading role under head coach Dusko Ivanovic. Back in his hometown of Belgrade after a year with Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Petrusev – the Round 17 MVP – has been able to silence some doubters with his performances on the court.

Although Petrusev was part of Efes's championship-winning team in 2021-22, he was limited to an average of 9.9 minutes per game across his 22 appearances, during which time he averaged 5.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per night. He saw his game time drop significantly in the second half of the season, while he didn’t get any minutes during Efes's games in the playoffs and the Final Four.

Zvezda decided to take a chance on Petrusev last summer, confident that he could recapture the performances he showed en route to become the ABA League MVP while playing for Mega Basket in 2020-21. That bet has so far paid off, and Petrusev admits that playing in front of Zvezda fans at a usually packed Aleksandar Nikolic Hall is something he relishes.

"This is where I grew up. This is where I feel comfortable. I don't really have to think about anything else but basketball, really," says Petrusev in the latest 'Focus On' episode. "Every time you step on the court, especially in your hometown in front of your people, it definitely feels better. It brings maybe a little more pressure, something like that, but I like it. It's like a real home."

Speaking about his experience with Efes, the talented Serbian recognizes that he needed a team that would allow him to make mistakes on the court as part of his growing process, something that did not align with the goals of the eventual 2022 EuroLeague champion.

"It was my first real professional year. It was a good learning year for me," Petrusev explains. "It didn’t end up being a great year in terms of myself and me playing, so I was just looking for a team in the EuroLeague that would allow me to have a bigger role, play more and keep developing, because I got a sense of what the EuroLeague is last year.

"I showed in some games that I can compete against those guys and have an important role on a team. That's what I'm used to: having a bigger role, having more minutes. I'm looking to learn, but learn on the court while playing, learning through those mistakes that are going to happen, because you're still a young player trying to prove yourself and still getting used to the league."

Finally, Petrusev discusses his desire to silence some of his doubters, as well as Zvezda's playoff push, with the team currently 12-16 and facing a tough ask to make the postseason.

"There were lots of doubts from last year, so there's got to be a lot of proving \[people wrong\], like showing people that I can really compete at this level," he comments.

"The playoffs are obviously in mind, it's definitely in everybody's head, everybody knows about it, but also everybody knows how tough the EuroLeague is, especially \[with\] 18 teams, only eight advance. Every game is really important."