Bilbao kept rolling Saturday night at Bilbao Arena, grinding out an 80-76 win over Joventut Badalona in ACB action to move its record to 11-8 and stretch its form run to six straight victories.
The margins were thin throughout, but the story was clear: Bilbao banked enough early control to survive a Joventut third-quarter punch, then clamped down late when the game tightened into a possession-by-possession finish.
Game flow: Early edge, third-quarter swing, fourth-quarter squeeze
Bilbao set the tone early, taking a 22-20 lead after the first quarter and building on it in the second. A 21-19 second period sent the home side into halftime up 43-39 — a small advantage, but one that mattered given how the game finished.
Joventut flipped the script after the break. Behind a 28-point third quarter, the visitors briefly seized control, outscoring Bilbao 28-27 in the period to pull the game into a one-point contest, 70-69, heading into the fourth.
Then came the squeeze. Points were scarce, possessions were heavy, and every stop carried weight. Bilbao won the fourth quarter 10-9, doing just enough to keep Joventut from completing the comeback and closing out the 80-76 result.
Turning point: Bilbao’s late defensive stand
With Joventut carrying momentum from its third-quarter burst, the fourth quarter became a test of execution and defensive discipline. Bilbao’s ability to hold Joventut to nine points in the final period ultimately decided it — not with a knockout run, but with repeated stops that prevented the visitors from finding a rhythm when it mattered most.
What it means going forward
For Bilbao, the win reinforces a profile that’s becoming harder to ignore: a team that can win different ways, including in low-scoring, late-game environments. Improving to 11-8 after entering at 10-8, Bilbao stays on an upward trajectory with a six-game winning streak now in the books.
For Joventut, now 10-9 after arriving at 10-8, the performance was a snapshot of both its upside and its volatility. The third-quarter surge showed the ceiling, but the nine-point fourth quarter underscored how quickly games can slip away when late offense stalls — especially on the road against a team playing with confidence.
Final score
Bilbao 80, Joventut Badalona 76
Quarter-by-quarter
Q1: Bilbao 22, Joventut 20
Q2: Bilbao 21, Joventut 19
Q3: Bilbao 27, Joventut 28
Q4: Bilbao 10, Joventut 9