Barcelona clipped Maccabi Tel Aviv 88-86 as the trio of Kevin Punter, Jabari Parker and Justin Anderson paced the visitors to the win at Pionir Arena in Belgrade. With the loss, the yellow-and-blue saw their Euroleague record drop to 4-10 on the season and were swept for the second straight double week in less than a month.

Anderson and Punter along with Parker gave Joan Pennaroya’s squad an early 22-16 lead but Tamir Blatt, Jasiel Rivero, Jaylen Hoard and Levi Randolph’s inspired play saw Oded Katash;s team head into halftime with a 44-37 advantage. The yellow-and-blue bumped the lead up to 60-45 with tremendous play from Blatt and Randolph but Parker had the hot hand together with Willy Hernangomez who scored key baskets down the stretch to take the victory.

Hoard scored 20 points, Blatt added 14 points and 10 assists while Randolph chipped in with 12 points in the loss. Punter and Parker each scored 18 points as Anderson put in 16 points in the win.

“We played against a really good team and we played the right way for most of the game,” Katash said. “For 25 minutes we controlled the game and we played our game. We need some time to be better and be more consistent. It’s not the first time it’s happened to us we need to keep our heads up and keep learning.”

“This was an important victory for us,” Penaroya said. “Maccabi started the third quarter with a 9-0 win and we were 15 points down. This was a 50/50 game and I am proud of the character and we believed. We played better on defense and offense. The competition in the Euroleague is very strong.”

Jaylen Hoard looked back at the game, “We had our run and we couldn’t sustain it. We aren’t satisfied with just putting up a fight ad fight until get end. We want to get wins. It’s disappointing and we can’t put our heads down. We lost the game and now we have to focus on the next one. We’ll watch film, see what we can correct and get better from it.”

Justin Anderson and Kevin Punter opened the scoring for Barcelona, Jaylen Hoard cleaned up a Levi Randolph layup attempt, Jasiel Rivero scored as did Will Rayman for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Jabari Parker dunked and Anderson dropped a corner 3-ball to give the visitors a 12-7 lead midway through the first quarter. Roman Sorkin and Jan Vesely traded baskets, Punter hit an off balance jumper, Anderson scored yet again, Willy Hernangomez put in points under the basket as did Jake Cohen at the other end to stay close but down 22-16 after ten minutes of play.

Cohen and Punter scored for their respective sides to begin the second quarter, Juan Nunez scored on the inside, Rokas Jokubaitis from the outside, Parker added points as did Hoard while Blatt and Punter traded triples but John Dibartolomeo drilled one home from deep to cut the lease to 33-29 with 5:16 left in the first half. Rivero scored a pair inside after coming back form getting stitches above his right eye, Randolph scored off a steal as did Blatt, Vesely and Randolph each scored as Jokubaitis sent a brilliant pass to Hoard for a tremendous alley-oop as the yellow-and-blue headed into halftime with a 44-37 advantage.

Blatt started off the third quarter with a deuce, Randolph dunked, Blatt sent Rivero a full court underhanded pass for points, Rayman scored as well for a 9-0 Maccabi run as Anderson came back with points from the outside and inside but Hoard took a Blatt pass for an easy bucket as Oded Katash’s team stayed ahead 55-45 midway through the frame. Hoard and Blatt each scored, Parker went from the inside and outside, Cohen came back with points, Tomas Satoransky and Alex Abrines scored but Maccabi stayed in front 66-64 after thirty minutes of action.

Hernangomez dunked and Punter hit a baseline jumper to get the fourth quarter rolling, Sorkin and Jokubaitis scored inside, Punter nailed an off-balance triple, Hernangomez scored again, Blatt drilled home a 3-pointer and Parker scored but Randolph scored a layup to keep Maccabi close but down 77-75 with 5:25 remaining in regulation time. Vesely dunked, Hoard responded, Nunez went for beyond the arc, David DeJulius did the same aside Abrines at the other end, Randolph scored in the paint, Anderson answered, Marial Shayok came in for points to cut the score to just two but Barcelona held on to take the win.