Joan Penarroya explained how Justin Anderson and Tomas Satoransky helped Barca overcome Andorra. The Catalan coach also referred to the status of Raul Neto and Chimezie Metu, who have been absent for almost a month.
FC Barcelona, boosted by Tomas Satoransky's 20-point performance, achieved a soothing 105-79 victory at the Palau Blaugrana against MoraBanc Andorra in a result that increased their Copa del Rey chances.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
28
|
| Tomas Satoransky | |
| Points | 20 |
| Accuracy | 6-12 |
| Rebounds | 3 |
| Assists | 6 |
Coach Joan Penarroya pointed out that the turning point of the game came in the second quarter, when MoraBanc Andorra had its biggest lead (22-33) and Barca had a series of steals that allowed them to score in transition.
“This energy and confidence that we have gained has made us find more success in situations of outside shooting with Satoransky and [Justin] Anderson. That was when we really put in a higher gear," said the coach.
Penarroya pointed out that Anderson, author of 8 points, "has infected the Palau and the team" when they were "a little down" and has been "one of the protagonists in this change of chip".
As a matter of fact, the 31-year-old forward is averaging 11.8 points on 6/13 3PT and 9/9FT shooting over a 5-game stretch across all competitions. However, Barca racked up only two wins in those 5 contests.
Penarroya also praised the contribution of Satoransky.
"I am happy for him, because many times his game is not reflected in the stats. Today he found shooting situations and gained confidence by making his first 3-point attempt, but he always contributes other things apart from scoring. He is an essential player for us."
On the other hand, the Catalan coach revealed that Raul Neto and Chimezie Metu will start "doing stuff with the team" in the next training sessions and could reappear on Friday against Red Star or on Sunday in the ACB clasico against Real Madrid "if their recovery goes well."
"Let’s hope that they will soon give us a little freshness," he added.
Metu, 27, suffered a Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in mid-November, during an ACB game vs. Valencia Basket, and was ruled out for 6-8 weeks.
He averages 7.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.2 PIR per game in 10 EuroLeague appearances. In the Spanish ACB league, his numbers are 11.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 11.8 EFF per game.
Raul Neto injured his adductor in his left leg in the first minutes of his Barca debut in El Clasico in late November, causing him to miss about four weeks of action.
