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may 03 2026BARCELONA. Barcelona secured a convincing 91-69 victory over Dreamland Gran Canaria in the Liga Endesa, with Kevin Punter leading the way and Toko Shengelia dominating inside. The win comes amid concerns over Will Clyburn's injury, which will sideline him for at least four weeks, and allows Barcelona to capitalize on losses by Valencia Basket and UCAM Murcia to climb the standings.
The game began with Barcelona significantly hampered by absences. To the already-known injuries were added Jan Vesely, Tomas Satoransky, Kusturica, and Will Clyburn before the match, another blow to a roster plagued by physical problems throughout the season. Despite this, the Barcelona team responded with character from the opening minute.
Kevin Punter immediately took control of Barcelona's offense. The American shooting guard scored his team's first nine points and set the pace for an attack that grew stronger as the minutes passed. Dreamland Gran Canaria started well and managed to take the lead (13-16), but the Barcelona team reacted quickly on defense and closed the first quarter with an advantage (29-20).
Barcelona's defensive intensity began to make a difference in the second period. Less regular players like Marcos, Núñez, Cale, Norris, and Hernangómez stepped up to sustain the team defensively and protect the rim with great aggression. Dreamland Gran Canaria missed the direction of injured Andrew Albicy and also failed to find offensive solutions with Nico Brussino disappearing during the first half.
Meanwhile, Kevin Punter continued to punish the Gran Canaria defense and reached halftime with 20 points, leading a Barcelona team that went into the locker room with a solid lead (48-34). Chimezie Metu, a former Barcelona player, was one of the few offensive bright spots for a visiting team that never managed to find continuity on offense.
The game was decided after halftime. Pierre Pelos scored the first basket of the second half for Dreamland Gran Canaria, but from there Barcelona raised its defensive level even higher. Xavi Pascual's team completely shut down the lanes to the basket and took advantage of Toko Shengelia's interior dominance, who put on a display in the low post to push the lead beyond twenty points (59-36).
With the game completely under control, Barcelona managed the lead during the final quarter and allowed less regular players to accumulate minutes. Youssoupha Fall made perfect use of the opportunity and delivered a highly productive final stretch with twelve consecutive points that further extended Barcelona's advantage.
Kevin Punter finished as Barcelona's leading offensive force with 23 points in just three quarters, while Toko Shengelia led from inside the paint and through the tactical reading of a team that responded collectively on a difficult night due to injuries.
The victory allows Barcelona to continue pressuring Valencia Basket and UCAM Murcia in the Liga Endesa standings, remaining fully alive in the fight for the top positions despite a season marked by physical problems and constant injuries.
