Barcelona forward Chimezie Metu returned to action ahead of schedule following a knee injury, contributing 16 points in his team’s 78-74 loss to Crvena Zvezda in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Metu sustained the injury on November 17th during a victory over Valencia Basket and was initially expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the year. However, the former NBA player made a quicker-than-anticipated recovery, playing in Barcelona’s final EuroLeague game of 2024.
Despite a strong showing from Metu, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, Barcelona ultimately fell short. Zvezda took the first quarter 19-15, but Barcelona responded by outscoring them 20-15 in the second quarter to tie the game at 35-35 going into the break.
They (Barca) continued their impressive showing in the third quarter, outscoring Zvezda 24-22 to take a three-point lead into the final quarter. However, the Serbian side outscored Barca 22-15 in the final quarter to claim a four-point win.
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The 27-year-old, who received medical clearance just hours before the game, started and recorded 16 points, and six rebounds but it wasn’t enough to propel his side to a win.
Barcelona will now turn their attention to a crucial Spanish ACB matchup against arch-rivals Real Madrid on Sunday. They’ll be hoping Metu’s return will provide a significant boost to help them win their last game of the year.
Metu signed with Barcelona in the summer after failing to secure an NBA contract. He boasts six years of NBA experience with the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, and Detroit Pistons.
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