Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv secured an 80-75 road win over FC Barcelona on Friday at Palau Blaugrana in a EuroLeague matchup played behind closed doors, keeping the Israeli club firmly in the race near the top of the standings.
The victory lifted Hapoel to 18-11 in the competition, while Barcelona slipped to 17-14 after struggling offensively over the final three quarters.
The contest featured unexpected lineup adjustments on both sides.
Barcelona entered the game without injured forward Tornike Shengelia, while Hapoel was missing starting center Johnathan Motley, who had played in every EuroLeague game this season before being sidelined by an ankle sprain.
Despite the absence, Hapoel quickly found its offensive focal points through Dan Oturu and Elijah Bryant.
Oturu set the tone early by scoring 11 points in the first quarter and attacking the paint against Barcelona’s frontcourt.
The Catalan side initially controlled the tempo, converting 10 of 14 two-point attempts in the opening period and finishing the quarter with a narrow lead.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter when Hapoel’s bench unit sparked a decisive run.
Levi Randolph, Kessler Edwards and Chris Jones fueled a 10-0 burst that forced Barcelona to call timeout as the visitors seized control.
Once Bryant, Oturu and Vasilije Micic returned to the floor, Hapoel extended its advantage and carried a 46-40 lead into halftime.
The Israeli club maintained its momentum after the break.
Bryant opened the third quarter with a three-pointer before Micic added a driving layup and Oturu converted inside to push the margin into double digits at 64-54.
Bryant dominated the period, reaching 19 points without a missed shot while also contributing rebounds and assists.
Barcelona attempted to mount a late comeback but struggled from the perimeter.
The home team finished just 4-of-21 from three-point range and produced only five assists over the final 30 minutes while committing seven turnovers during that stretch.
Oturu led Hapoel with 22 points on an efficient 10-of-11 shooting inside the arc, establishing consistent scoring around the rim.
Bryant added 21 points, six defensive rebounds and four assists while recording a game-high performance index rating of 32.
For Barcelona, Kevin Punter scored 17 points and Will Clyburn added 15, but the team struggled to generate consistent offense late in the game.
Hapoel will host Virtus Bologna on March 19, while Barcelona travels to face Valencia Basket on the same day.
