FC Barcelona secured a crucial EuroLeague victory on Friday night, defeating Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 92-88 in overtime at Palau Blaugrana to strengthen its push for a postseason berth.
The win improved Barcelona’s record to 20-14, tying several teams in the congested race for playoff positioning, while Zvezda slipped to 19-15. With the two teams potentially finishing level in the standings, Barcelona also claimed the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning both regular-season meetings.
The contest featured multiple momentum swings, with Zvezda dominating inside during the first half. The visitors shot 14-of-17 from two-point range before halftime, including a combined 10-of-11 from Chima Moneke, Ebuka Izundu, Joel Bolomboy and Jasiel Rivero.
Despite that efficiency, Barcelona stayed within reach and trailed only 42-40 at the break.
The turning point came midway through the third quarter when Will Clyburn ignited the hosts’ offense. After being held scoreless in the first half, the forward scored eight consecutive points, flipping Zvezda’s 48-47 lead into a 55-48 Barcelona advantage.
Barcelona tightened its defense during the period, limiting Zvezda to just one offensive rebound and forcing five turnovers. The hosts closed the third quarter ahead 64-58.
The Catalan club appeared in control late in regulation, leading 75-70 with under a minute remaining. Zvezda guard Jared Butler sparked a late comeback, converting three free throws and finishing a driving layup to tie the game at 75-75 and force overtime.
Barcelona regained control in the extra period behind Clyburn’s scoring and timely contributions from Tomas Satoransky. Clyburn delivered eight points in overtime, finishing with 18 points after scoring all of them in the final 21 minutes.
Satoransky produced one of the most complete stat lines of the night with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, while also hitting a key three-pointer during overtime.
Barcelona also executed efficiently down the stretch. The team finished with 18 assists against just 9 turnovers, a significant contrast to Zvezda’s 17 assists and 17 turnovers.
Zvezda received a strong performance from Jordan Nwora, who led all scorers with 26 points and collected 9 rebounds. Butler added 11 points, including the late scoring run that forced overtime.
The hosts also improved defensively after halftime by protecting the paint. Zvezda shot 11-of-22 from two-point range in the second half after converting more than 80 percent before the break.
Barcelona now faces a demanding final stretch of the regular season against several direct playoff rivals.
Barcelona will visit Zalgiris Kaunas on April 2, while Crvena Zvezda will host Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade on the same day.
