It is the second team to advance to the NextGen finals in Abu Dhabi after U18 Mega MIS Belgrade
Barcelona edges Zalgiris, 89-91, in NextGen EuroLeague Ulm final
Game Report
3 Mins read
U18 FC Barcelona held off U18 Zalgiris Kaunas 89-91 in a thriller in the final game at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague 2024-25 event in Ulm, Germany, to clinch a spot at the NextGen EuroLeague Finals in May at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi. Barcelona finished off a perfect weekend, while Zalgiris finished as the runner-up despite losing only once.
Mathieu Grujicic shined for the winners with 22 points, Raul Villar tallied 19 points and 7 assists, Lluc Pluvinet scored 13, Arturas Butajevas 11 and Mohamed Dabone posted 8 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for Barcelona. Dovydas Buika was Zalgiris’s top man with 26 points, 10 boards and 7 assists. Dominykas Grunkis contributed 19 points, Ignas Stombergas had 14 and Kajus Mikalauskas 13.
Neither team led by more than 4 points at any point in the first half, which ended with Zalgiris ahead 42-41. The game turned when Abdrahamane Kone and Butajevas led a 0-10 Barcelona run to take a 55-62 lead. Grunkis helped Zalgiris get back within 4 before a Grujicic triple ended the third quarter with Barcelona up 61-68. Barcelona turned the screw with 9 unanswered points – including 4 from Dabone – early in the fourth to take a double-digit lead, 63-77. Zalgiris responded with a 9-0 run of its own, highlighted by threes from Mikalauskas and Dovydas Jakstonis, but Pluvinet stepped up to keep Barcelona in control. Mikalauskas rallied Zalgiris late only to come up just short.
