A ten-point lead disappeared, Zalgiris left Barcelona with the win, and Aleksander Sekulic spoke of lost confidence. SKWEEK looks at the challenge facing a team still taking shape: staying together under pressure.
By the end of the third quarter, Barcelona had taken control. They led 65-55, having outscored Zalgiris 47-32 across the second and third periods. They had recovered from a poor start and put themselves in position for a valuable home win. Ten minutes later, the scoreboard read 81-88.
The 16-33 scoreline in the final period captures the scale of the collapse. Zalgiris found points and confidence, while Barcelona failed to halt their comeback. The concern lies in that response: how quickly an advantage became uncertainty, and how the hosts were unable to restore the game to their own tempo.
Sekulic himself offered a clear account of what happened: “In the final quarter, we fell apart as a team. We stopped believing.” He spoke of lost composure and confidence, the easy shots they allowed Carsen Edwards to take, and mistakes in defense and rebounding. His assessment points to problems with both decision-making and concentration.
Justin Robinson finished with 20 points, but Kevin Punter was limited to nine. According to Sekulic, Zalgiris had made stopping him a priority. That highlights a key requirement for Barcelona: when an opponent makes life difficult for their main scorer, the offense needs to use the space that opens up and bring more players into the action.
At the other end, Edwards paired 19 points with seven assists, Marius Grigonis added 12 on 4-of-6 shooting from three, and Dustin Sleva contributed another 14. Zalgiris had multiple scoring threats and won the rebounding battle 36-26. Those numbers support the picture of a comeback built on shot-making, playmaking and extra opportunities.
A team’s character also shows in the way it protects what it has built. Clear defensive communication, a defensive rebound and a patient offensive possession can check an opponent’s run. These are the possessions in which Barcelona need greater consistency, so that scoreboard pressure does not disrupt their entire game.
A 2-2 record after four rounds leaves plenty of time for improvement. But the night against Zalgiris gave Sekulic a specific task: build a team that keeps trusting its principles and one another when the game gets harder. That is where their reliability in the closing stages will be tested.
