Asisa Joventut claimed the ACB Supercup title with an exciting and entertaining final victory over Barcelona 101-87. Ricky Rubio's magic, Sulejmanovic's gritty work, Reyes' three-pointers, and Ndiaye's vitality highlighted a stellar team performance. Nicolás Laprovittola led Badalona to the championship with 31 points in an unforgettable display against his former team. Barcelona fought hard throughout but Joel Parra's 24 points weren't enough to secure the title.
The Supercup final started at a breakneck pace. Joventut, led by an extraordinary Ricky Rubio (5 points and 3 assists), had the Olímpic crowd—with a majority of green-and-black supporters—going wild. The opening from the Masnou native was simply exquisite. However, Joel Parra (5 points) prevented Badalona's lead from growing (12-9 at the 3-minute mark). It was a true spectacle on the court.
As the first quarter progressed, neither team let up. Nico Laprovittola (6 points) took over the scoring duties from Ricky, while Olivier Nkamhoua's work on both ends of the floor kept the scoreboard tight (24-21 at the 8-minute mark).
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In the final stretch of the first quarter, Joventut opened up a gap thanks to a stratospheric Laprovittola. Two consecutive three-pointers from the Morón native, who was already up to 12 points, put the score at 32-23 for Dani Miret's squad. Barcelona needed to tighten their defense or they'd have a tough time winning the Supercup. Still, the opening ten minutes had been a great ode to basketball.
Joel Parra's return to the court (10 points) was a breath of fresh air for Barcelona. The Badalona native has started the season at an excellent level. Alexander Sekulic's squad stayed in the game (41-36 at the 14-minute mark).
Nicolás Laprovittola (18 points) continued his hot streak. The Argentine, shooting 6-for-7 from three, combined with Sulejmanovic's work in the paint (9 points), gave Asisa Joventut a comfortable lead (50-41 at the 18-minute mark). A three-pointer from accurate Kevin Punter (12 points), who came to Barcelona's rescue, brought the halftime score to 52-46 at the 20-minute mark. Joventut had played the highest-scoring first half in Supercup history.
The second-half start didn't change the game's momentum. Joventut kept attacking Barcelona's basket over and over. A dunk from Álex Reyes gave the green-and-black their biggest lead (61-48 at the 23-minute mark), with Barcelona overwhelmed and already in foul trouble.
The game intensified in this third quarter. Joventut continued to dominate the boards (24-17) and managed to withstand Barcelona's runs (68-60 at the 27-minute mark).
Late in the third quarter, Tyrese Martín (10 points) made his presence felt after being invisible until that moment. Six consecutive points from the Pennsylvania native brought the blaugranas within five (68-63 at the 29-minute mark). A basket at the buzzer from Justin Anderson added more drama to this final. Only ten minutes remained and Joventut held just a three-point advantage (71-68 at the 30-minute mark). The excitement was palpable.
A three-point festival in this final quarter from both teams, who were giving everything. Laprovittola's seventh three-pointer (25 points) sent Joventut back up by ten (82-72 at the 33-minute mark). Alexander Sekulic called a timeout as the final was slipping away from Barcelona.
Joel Parra (21 points) and Kevin Punter (20 points) did everything they could to get Barcelona back in the game, but Elmir Sulejmanovic's solid play (15 points) prevented it. Barcelona was running out of time (91-81 at the 38-minute mark).
That's where Barcelona's resistance ended. A one-legged three-pointer from Laprovittola was the knockout blow. His ninth three-pointer for 31 points sealed an unforgettable performance. The Olímpic erupted as Joventut won 101-87 to claim the ACB Supercup championship.