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FC Barcelona kept its postseason hopes alive with an 80-72 win over Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade on Tuesday at Palau Blaugrana in a EuroLeague Play-In clash.
The Spanish side eliminated Zvezda from contention and will now travel to face AS Monaco, with the winner advancing to a playoff series against top-seeded Olympiacos Piraeus.
Will Clyburn set the tone early with a record-breaking first quarter, scoring 18 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point range to give Barcelona immediate control.
The hosts never trailed after the opening minute and built a 29-21 lead after one quarter before extending it to 47-33 at halftime through efficient execution on both ends.
Clyburn finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and two steals, providing two-way impact while frontcourt options dealt with foul trouble.
Kevin Punter matched him with 22 points, delivering timely scoring to maintain separation whenever the visitors attempted to close the gap.
Barcelona’s perimeter efficiency proved decisive, as the team shot 13-of-28 from three-point range, forcing Zvezda’s defense to stretch and opening driving lanes.
Tomas Satoransky added 11 points and seven assists, helping organize the offense and limit mistakes against an aggressive defensive approach.
Crvena Zvezda struggled with ball security, committing 14 turnovers while recording just nine assists, which disrupted offensive rhythm throughout the game.
Codi Miller-McIntyre led the Serbian side with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, but he also committed six turnovers under defensive pressure.
Jared Butler contributed 16 points, though Zvezda’s inability to generate consistent half-court offense limited any sustained comeback attempt.
Barcelona maintained focus defensively in the second half, preventing Zvezda from making a decisive run and controlling the pace late.
Barcelona now turns its attention to Monaco in another elimination game, with execution and perimeter shooting again expected to be central factors.
