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oct 24 2026Juan Núñez has spent the last year and a half battling injuries, with a setback he described as the most mentally challenging. This Saturday, he proved he remains the player he was. The Madrid point guard scored 23 points in just 18 minutes and led Barcelona to a 99-81 victory over Casademont Zaragoza at the Palau, shooting 7-of-9 from two-point range, 2-of-2 from three, and posting a +22 rating.
The game came at a good time for Barcelona, coming off a win in Milan in the EuroLeague. With this victory, they tie Zaragoza with three wins and two losses in the Liga Endesa.
A more accurate Barcelona from the start
Zaragoza, without Trae Bell-Haynes and Jilson Bango, led for only four and a half minutes. Barcelona won every quarter until the last, and went into halftime with an eight-point lead (48-40) thanks to their outside shooting accuracy. Darío Brizuela, who had been questionable all week with minor issues, made 4 of his 5 three-pointers, and Justin Minaya, also recovered, added three more.
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A 14-0 run to seal it
The game broke open in the third quarter. Barcelona strung together a 14-0 run, the longest of the game, and closed it with a 15-point lead (72-57). The margin reached 22 in the fourth quarter, and Zaragoza could only improve the final score in the closing minutes. The Blaugrana finished with 54% from three-point range (15-of-28) and dominated the boards with 41 rebounds to 27 for the Aragonese side.
Beyond Núñez and Brizuela, Oscar Nkamhoua added 14 points and Josh Nebo 12 with 6-of-7 shooting. For Zaragoza, Ayo Olaseni led the scoring with 18 points, 8 from the free-throw line, and Nicolás Brussino added 15 with a +20 rating.
