• Statistics. Semifinal data (71-65)

Barça will play their first Super Cup final in three years after defeating Valencia Basket in a very tight duel (71-65). Cory Higgins, with five points in the last minute and eight of the last 10 points of his team, sealed at the first victory of that ocean liner that the Catalans have armed. The spotlights, however, focused on Nikola Mirotic, the inevitable protagonist of the night when he returned home with the shirt of the eternal rival.

Hispanomontenegrin could verify two things: the lung capacity of the public of the WiZink Center and how long it can be five years, those that have passed since he made the jump to the NBA. It did not seem that the same parquet on which he celebrated then the pass to the Final Four of 2014. That night was his top at Real Madrid, a reference for a hobby with which he celebrated what he then knew more than usual. Mirotic ended up shirtless and half crying hugging Juan Carlos Sánchez in the park. "Two more! Two more!" He repeated. They were his last months of white. What are five years.

From the thunderous concert of wind in the presentations of the teams, he went to the pitos every time he touched the ball, whistles every time he came out, whistles every time he entered and, yes, cheers when he failed or a rival scored him in front. Some had to calm the police, although he was no more than insulting taller than another. The only one who 'rested' was Ante Tomic, a traditional target of the white audience, which the presence of his new partner managed to leave in the background. The storm only abated when Mirotic, with eight quick points in the second half, set Barça's comeback on.

The key, from within

Valencia was clear about its plan from the beginning. The picture taronja formed with five open to clear the paint and attack from outside Mirotic and Tomic, a couple as powerful in attack as flimsy back. Especially by bottom line. 26 of the 32 points of Jaume Ponsarnau's team arrived in the painting. They are still the first steps of the course and there are things to polish.

After the break, the matter took another very different aspect. Throughout the second part, Valencia only scored two baskets down there. The club threw the lock thanks to the help of Claver and Higgins from outside and the entrance of Oriola. It was there that the game turned around, pushed by a 14-3 braid between Claver and Mirotic. Valencia, with an excellent Marinkovic (17 points, 5/8 in triples), responded strongly, but the Barca defensive improvement closed the rest of the doors. Higgins, with eight points in the final leg, sealed the ticket back to the Super Cup final.

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