KK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 65:70 (play-off, final, 4th match)

This is when you feel like a full spittoon. Even when you deliberately slept it over. Even if you were somewhat prepared for this. If I can be this very brutally honest: deep inside I wasn’t surprised on the end result. I had a feeling for the entire final series that this Partizan won’t be able to compete with this very strong, well-organized, well-prepared Crvena Zvezda.
It still feels terrible though :(
Many came again to support the team.

Danilo Anđušić...

...Kosta Perović...

...Miloš Vujanić and Milenko Tepić...

...Nikola Milutinov and Nemanja Bezbradica...

(photos: hotsport.rs)

...Nemanja Mihajlović...

(photo: Twitter)

...on this photo it’s not exactly Nikola Peković is the main figure, but rather Vladimir Volkov in the background... 

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

...our water polo players were also there...

A photo posted by Nikola Jaksic (@njaksic) on Jun 9, 2016 at 1:26pm PDT

...as well as Joffrey Lauvergne...

(photo: hotsport.rs)

...who got a fantastic ovation from Partizan-fans

Meanwhile the boys walked out to the court...

(photo: hotsport.rs)

...Lauvergne was singing "Dobro pamtim sve" together with the fans...

...one last group hug and discussion before the start...

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

...and we gave it a kickstart.
Less than two minutes passed when Murić got his first foul.

It came to my mind that betting offices should have an option for people to bet not just for the end result or the winner, but also for Murić on how soon he gets his first personal foul. You get what I mean. Within how many minutes or even seconds arrives the first foul. As an extra possibility people could even bet whether he’ll reach his third foul within the first quarter. It would be a smash hit. (I’d like a few-percent-slice for my idea, thank you.)

After 4:4 we took a confident lead (12:6). Zvezda was seemingly confused. Again there were too many fouls, we again missed out a lot of attempts, but we were leading (14:9).

In the 7th minute Murić got his 3rd foul. His performance was catastrophal, not just on this very game, but on every match of the final series. Foul within a minute, 3 fouls within the first quarter... It might be fine on one single match, especially on a derby. But on ALL matches... it’s just too much.
Don’t come up with the counter-argument that Dangubić also got his 3rd foul in the first quarter. I couldn’t care less for Dangubić, and I think a Partizan-player should have enough self-control not to get involved into so many mistakes right at the beginning of the game.

Zvezda jumped from 19:13 to 20:18. Milutinović scored in the very last moment, just at the end buzz. We finished the first quarter with 22:18.

Andreja Milutinović

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At the beginning of the second quarter Zvezda took the lead (22:23). Not much later Micić got a technical foul, we took back the lead by the free throw that followed (25:23). Both teams fought hard so much, that soon Lazić also got a technical foul.

The referee was the same as on the first two games, but this time he was surprisingly (or even shockingly) impartial.

We were leading to 29:23 with a 7-point-series behind us when a firecracker was thrown to the court.

The game halted, everyone was complaining, for this or that reason. Then when we could finally continue, we started with missing out 3 chances for 3-pointer in a row. Aleksandar Džikić asked for time-out, he could somehow shake us up. (31:27)

Did I hear well that fans here started to chant "Duško Vujošević, ša la la la la"?...

Zvezda reduced the difference to 31:30. Jones was fouled 3 times in a row within a few seconds. Veličković kept the spirit in the team. The standing was cluse, but at least we were leading (37:36). The game was tensed, but exciting in the second quarter - definitely better and more exciting than the previous three.
Zvezda took back the lead with a 3-pointer (37:39), and even though we equalized once (39:39, Marinković), they were leading again in the half-time. (39:41)

Fans clashed in the half-time - because no game can pass without war

The third quarter was awful. At the beginning Murić was fouled for the 4th time and it was absolutely legitimate.

We were in the middle of an attack when he pushed Jović to the ground. Obvious offensive foul. Obvious and totally unnecessary.

Zvezda played more and more self-confident while we had beginner’s mistakes. Traveling, running out of time, foul after foul... Jones wanted to throw a 3-pointer, the ball rebounded, someone wanted to push it back to the ring, the ball rebounded again. We fell apart. The opponent was leading (44:50) and the worst was that they played the very same player-to-player defense with full court press tactics they did during the previous matches. As if there's no remedy against them... We got nervous more and more, which brought more and more mistakes (missed-out attempts, long row of rebounds while the opponent controlled the boards). We tried this hang-on-the-opponent-under-the-board trick, but it didn’t work out. It ended with a defensive foul every time, including the usual free throw for the other side. It was 46:54 before the end, when Wilson could score one more just at the end buzz (48:56).

Jamar Wilson

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

For the last quarter we lost control. Zvezda took back the two-digit advantage (50:60). In the middle of the quarter players got into a combat fight. Zirbes started to push Jones, then picked up a fight with Wilson, too. Everyone was nervous. Lazić was fouled out, followed by Wilson not much later. We struggled, but all our attempts rebounded. Zvezda was leading (61:65), then 39 seconds before the end we reduced the difference to 2 points with Murić’s free throw (63:65). Zvezda’s head coach asked for time-out. Tension grew, only 25 seconds were left. Free throw for Zvezda (63:67). Aleksandar Džikić asked for time-out. We walked back to the court, Jones scored (65:67) only 19 seconds before the end, after great struggle. Zvezda again asked for time-out. We walked back to the court. Vitkovac got fouled, free throw for Zvezda (65:69). A last, desperate attempt by us for a 3-pointer. We miss it out. The whole team is totally nervous. Only 7 seconds are left. Free throw for Zvezda. They score one (65:70). We have time only to throw the ball in to the court. End buzz. The end. That was all.
Grave Diggers welcomed the team as if they had won the title, and not the other side.

The organizers learned from their mistakes (a few years ago Partizan won the title, the championship silverware was put on display, and Simonović simply stole it and disappeared with it among their fans), this time security guards kept the chalice

Novica Veličković at the end of the game. He was the only one here, or even at the entire final series who really deserved Partizan’s jersey

(photos: Twitter)

At the post-match press conference Aleksandar Džikić confirmed that Kevin Jones leaves Partizan. The reason is simple: he asked for such a salary that Partizan cannot afford. Jones will probably continue his career in NBA.
Still not confirmed though, but it seems most players will stay at Partizan. Vrabac, Marinković, Cvetković, Andrić and Koprivica are more or less sure. Veličković’s contract expires, but the team will do everything to keep him. Murić is not sure, but his stay cannot be excluded either.

KK Partizan: Aranitović (3), Jones (12), Murić (4), Marinković, Veličković (19), Vitkovac (4), Đumić, Magdevski, Milutinović (4), Williams (5), Vrabac (1), Wilson (13)

Crvena Zvezda: Kinsey (15), Rebić, Dangubić (3), Mitrović (10), Lazić, Micić (5), Simonović (15), Gudurić, Jović (3), Miller (4), Zirbes (15), Štimac

KK Partizan - Mega Leks 94:89 (superliga, round 5)

This game was an incredible comedy from the beginning to the end.

Before the game Partizan’s U12 team was celebrated for winning the 2015-16 championship

Well done, boys!

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

(photo: Twitter)

Dino Murić, Edo Murić’s brother, player of Olimpija Ljubljana was also present at the game, proudly wearing his Partizan T-shirt

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

This photo was going viral soon before the game, as Mihajlo Andrić is warming up with the team after months of a serious injury. Eventually Andrić didn’t play at the match

(photo: Twitter)

A message to everyone in charge: KLS’s stream was more dead than the mummy of Tut-Ankh-Amun. Finally I could find a working one, though I surely gained a few more grey hair.

It was clear that Mega Leks came to Pionir Hall to win. There was no doubt about it. Thus they had a very heavy start and took the lead to 7:10. But Williams equalized (10:10) and it was mostly him who made us taking the lead and jumping to 20:16 for the end of the first quarter.

A few moments from the beginning of the match:

U Pioniru upravo počinje @PartizanBC - @KKMegaLeks ;) pic.twitter.com/LOKHqSWl1U

— sportmts (@tvojsvetsporta) May 21, 2016

The second quarter brought actual combat fight on the court. At first Mega Leks equalized (20:20), then Partizan came up to 30:22 step by step, fighting for every single point. We kept our advantage (36:29), the two Americans, Jones and Wilson scored some 3-pointers. Only 1 second was left from the first half, when we got free throw. Wilson scored one point from that, we finished the first 20 minutes with 41:33.

Andreja Milutinović some time during the game

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

For the third quarter Mega Leks decided that either they tear us to tiny pieces or they die. They almost managed to do the first. They did it the same way as we did in the second quarter. They reduced their difference step by step, with stubbornness and hard work to 2 points (48:46). They even equalized (48:48) with a huge steal. Aleksandar Džikić immediately asked for timeout, when we returned to the court, Marinković threw a 3-pointer right there (51:48). The players were fighting for the ball, Mega Leks got into man-to-man fight without hesitation. They were always just a few steps behind us (55:51) finally they equalized right before the buzz. (62:62)

Aleksandar Cvetković

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The last quarter was like a circus.
The last time I saw so many fouls was surely at a derby game. Referees were whistling continuously, foul came after foul. Players were fighting, wrestling for the ball, and even though we were leading, the guests were always behind us (73:71). We could never make it to the two-digit difference, not even when Cvetković threw a 3-pointer almost from the parking lot (83:75). Mega Leks kept the pace (87:83). Only 28 seconds were left, when Marinković was fouled out, followed almost immediately by a Mega Leks player who also got his 5th foul. The standing was 90:83, when Mega Leks got a free throw (90:85). Partizan got one, too, when 25 seconds were left. Veličković scored (92:85). Mega Leks asks for time out. When they return to the court, another free throw is waiting for them (92:87). Only 21 seconds are left. Partizan also gets a free throw. Wilson scores easily (94:87). Mega Leks uses full court press, they fight with all their might left. They got another free throw when there are only 12 seconds left. 94:89. The guests put us under very heavy pressure, while Partizan goes for stonewalling. Then it ended, thankfully. We could celebrate.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

Čestitke za @PartizanBC za pobedu ;) pic.twitter.com/nyVVvVLrNL

— sportmts (@tvojsvetsporta) May 21, 2016

This was the last game in the group stage. From Group B Partizan and Mega Leks qualified. The latter one will play against Crvena Zvezda, while Partizan got the red team’s sub-team, FMP.

KK Partizan: Cvetković (13), Jones (9), Murić (4), Marinković (15), Veličković (8), Vitkovac (5), Đumić (2), Andrić, Milutinović (7), Williams (9), Vrabac (14), Wilson (8)

Mega Leks: Simić, Rašić (19), Đoković, Veljković, Ivanović (1), Zubac (4), Luwawu (7), Zagorac (17), Popović, Simeunović, Nikolić (29), Janković (12)

Borac Čačak - KK Partizan 83:94 (superliga, round 4)

This was awful. During the first half Murphy’s every law came into effect that is connected in any way to internet and/or IT. What is more, new laws were born. Dying internet, dead stream, collapsing/freezing browser

I swear, my browser collapses only once a year
well, I hope that now I’m done for the rest of this year

cursing, swearing, finally following the results live on FlashScore.com, as nothing else worked.
I could still make a few screenshots and there are official photos, too.

My net’s still dying, the photos are uploading with the speed of a rheumatic snail
I hope I can get this blogpost done for dawn

Group photo before start

Serbian anthem

 (photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Handshakes before start

(screenshot)

Jump ball

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The most important is, as much as I could see, that we were leading for the entire first half. Sometimes our advantage was only 2 points, but we were always ahead (if the home team happened to equalize or even take the lead some time during the game, it didn't last long).

First quarter, Partizan-attack

Murić at the paint

Borac attacks soon before the end of the first quarter

(screenshots)

At the end of the first part we were leading to 21:24.
We kept our advantage in the second quarter, too. At a point we were ahead with 9 points (26:35). Borac then reduced the difference to 33:36.
Something happened here, because the standing was in halt on FlashScore for quite a while. I checked other sites, it was the same. If anybody knows what was going on at the court, please, write it to the comment box. Thanks in advance.
Borac equalized soon before half time (39:39), but we could take back the lead (39:42). That was the half time result as well.

Milutinović and Jones some time during the game

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

In the third quarter our advantage was 10 points (42:52). My net came back to life around here, just when Murić stood to the paint again (52:60).
Borac played very aggressively. I don’t know if they had this style in the first half as well, but they bit themselves on our players. I was just blinking. There were a lot of fouls, the game was very fragmented, referees were just whistling all the time.

Still it was a great game. Damn it that I had to miss out the first half.

Team Čačak put rebounding on a perfect level. They threw a lot of 3-pointers. They reduced the difference to 63:66. In the meantime local fans were hissing and booing every time a Partizan-player touched the ball. The atmosphere was heated.

Williams at the paint in the third quarter

Time-out

(screenshots)

In the fourth quarter we quickly jumped to 63:70, then we settled back the two-digit difference (67:77). After that we just had to keep it.
We managed.

Handshakes at the end

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Borac Čačak: Čarapić (3), Mitrović, Popović (5), Mićović (7), Bojić (4), Avramović (19), Bojović, Radonjić (2), Stanojević (2), Radojević (3), Stevanović (27), Mišković (11)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (5), Aranitović, Jones (13), Murić (19), Marinković (4), Veličković (12), Vitkovac (4), Đumić (2), Milutinović (4), Williams (13), Wilson (11)

Current championship standings:

Group A:*
1. CZ 6 points
2. FMP 5 points
3. Metalac 4 points
4. Tamiš 3 points

Group B:
1. Partizan 8 points
2. Mega Leks 7 points
3. Konstantin 5 points
4. Borac 4 points

*Group A played only 3 rounds so far

Mega Leks - KK Partizan 85:80 (Korać Cup, final)

Don’t ever ask.
Well, anyway, it doesn’t matter actually. Even if you asked, I couldn’t answer.
The atmosphere was great. A field music band walked around inside the hall playing the popular march song. It was fantastic to see and hear as thousands of fans were singing Grobarski marš on the top of their voice.

Then the band played the Serbian national anthem, too.

(photo: Twitter)

We had a great start. We jumped to 2:10, Marinković himself scored 8 points, while Koprivica performed such an excellent dunk which can be performed only by professionals.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The problem was that Mega Leks reduced the difference. Had they only reduced it, but they even took the lead (12:11). They even jumped to 16:11. They were very aggressive, for the whole time during the game. They played full court press as well as player-to-player fight, as if every Partizan-player would have got a personal backpack. Cvetković kept the spirit in the team, once we even equalized with Wilson’s free throw (21:21). The quarter finished with 24:23, Wilson made a great buzzer beater.

Time-out in the first quarter

(photo: Twitter)

For the second quarter things got back on track. Milutinović started with a fantastic 3-pointer (after a spectacular, quick passing of the ball around the paint, 24:26), Murić followed his example (27:29), Williams stole the ball with a great movement from a Mega-player, he even threw it to the backboard, but it rebounded. But Milutinović appeared out of the blue and pushed the ball back to the ring. A Mega-player picked it out, but the referees validated the basket (27:31).
Then came Edo Murić.
From another planet. With a brutal 3-pointer.

(source: GlimmerKKP)

We kept our advance. Though Vitkovac soon got his third personal foul, Luwawu very aggressively attacked every Partizan-player, Jones got another foul, after a Mega-player played the dying swan

the slow motion replay clearly showed that Jones just barely touched the other player, yet the dude acted as if he got a 16-ton anvil right onto his head. And yes, the referee believed him

aaaand they got a gift free throw (33:36). Players were wrestling and fighting on the court, at one of these a Partizan-player (I didn’t see clearly who it actually was) threw the ball to Wilson while laying on the ground. Wilson ran up and scored (33:40).
And Edo Murić.
Edo Murić had a fantastic performance tonight. He scored from any angle, any distance. He made us jump up to 38:45. Finally the referees quickly fouled him, Mega got another gift free throw (43:45).

A bonus shot by Murić at the end of the first half

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The result of the half-time was 46:48, we got a free throw (Cvetković scored), one was for Mega, because why not.
The third quarter started with Murić’s gigantic block. Mega Leks turned into even more aggressive, they were very heavy on this full court press. Wilson scored a 3-pointer (46:51), Mega reduced the difference to 49:51. Here came a Koprivica-Jones teamwork (49:53), Mega was again in our back (52:53).

They were awful. One of their trick was full court press, the other is the 3-pointr attack. All of them scored a row of 3-pointers. Seriously, these guys surely swore on their own life not to leave the Niš sports hall until they kill us. As if they would have been playing all-or-nothing.

We kept ourselves, though sometimes we were fouled for unbelievable things (Marinković tripped over a Mega-player laying on the floor, whoops, a foul for Marinković). There was a huge fight on the court, but we were still a bit ahead of Mega. Then, at the very end the standing was 63:64, when Mega scored a buzzer-beater 3-pointer. 66:64 to face the final part of the game.

Williams and Marinković block a Mega-player

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

For the fourth quarter things started to get out of hand. Mega-players were like a bunch of pitbulls, playing the most aggressive possible full court press with player-to-player fights and tension.
And then Cvetković scored such a 3-pointer that the walls of the sports hall got demolished immediately.

(source: GlimmerKKP)

We took back the lead and made it to 66:71. Fans were singing and chanting on the top of their lungs, the team was burning on a thousand degrees, finally referees whistled off a Partizan-attack, giving a foul to Williams, sending everyone to the other side of the court to Partizan’s backboard (gift free throw to Mega - 67:71). Marinković was fouled out, Mega equalized (73:73). Murić scored another XXL-sized 3-pointer (73:76), Williams performed a giant block, and then he got the grip and scored (73:78).
But Mega equalized again (78:78).
55 seconds before the end they took back the lead (80:78).
Partizan got very nervous, referees whistled off all our mistakes. In the last 38 seconds they whistled 4 times, that means 4 free throws. Out of these 4 free throws only 1 went to Partizan, the rest was all for Mega. We tried a lot of 3-pointers, but all rebounded. The only score we could make was Cvetković’s free throw (83:80) 11 seconds before the end.
Only 9 seconds were left. Mega got a free throw - and they missed it out! What is more, Luwawu got fouled out. We ran up, Milutinović wanted to score the 3-pointer of the year - but someone blocked it. As a coup de grace Jones got a foul 5 seconds before the end. Of course Mega got another gift free throw.
They scored.
85:80
That was all.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At the end of the match the medals and the cup was given to the players by Dragan Đilas, president of the Serbian Basketball Association. What he got from Grave Diggers, that hissing, booing and whistles, well, he’ll surely not forget it for a while.

This video says it all.

Nobody cares about Mega Leks jumping around and celebrating. The entire hall screams "Partizan ole ole ole" - as if Mega wasn’t even there, as if Partizan had won the Cup.

Mega Leks: Simić, Jaramaz (4), Veljković, Musić, Ivanović (24), Pavlović, Luwawu (13), Kaba (10), Zagorac (9), Simeunović, Nikolić (18), Janković (7)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (14), Aranitović, Jones (4), Murić (16), Marinković (16), Tanasković, Vitkovac, Koprivica (2), Milutinović (7), Williams (4), Jovanović, Wilson (17)

KK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 68:60 (Korać Cup, semifinal)

VICTORYYYYY!!!

What a victory, oh my God.
In the afternoon of the match day there was already a great police presence around the sports hall of Niš.

(photos: Twitter)

Two hours before the start the sports hall was almost full.

(photo: Twitter)

Then, as the time was coming soon, the squad appeared on the court to warm up.

(photo: Twitter)

They got a very warm welcome from the fans.

While on the stand there was someone whom we haven’t seen for long.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Yes, it was Predrag "Saša" Danilović personally, who came to see Partizan.
On Partizan’s bench the injured players gathered.

Vrabac, Magdevski, Andrić, Đumić

(photo: Twitter)

To hell with the goddamned Copa Del Rey. I’m fucking not interested in the Spanish royal cup right before the eternal derby, dear ArenaSport.

The start was tough, what else it could be. In the first half there was a long row of fouls on both sides. The first part of the first quarter wasn’t even gone when Koprivica got his third personal foul. After 7:7 Zvezda took the lead (7:10) and they kept it (8:11). We missed out a lot of chances - in fact both teams missed out too many chances, they were all very nervous. They were so nervous that Miller got a technical foul here, in the first quarter. At 8:13 Williams scored from free throw (10:13), then Cvetković sped up and he himself alone (!!!) brought us up to 17:13!!!

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Punch line for the end of the first quarter: Zirbes missed out a free throw.

The atmosphere was great.

The beginning of the second quarter was mostly about wrestling. Players were rolling on the floor struggling with each other, fighting over the ball, finally we could grab it and ran up to Zvezda’s paint.
What started at this point was something amazing, unbelievable and fantastic. Wilson made us jump to 24:13 (he got two free throws and in between he scored a wonderful 3-pointer). Cvetković was burning on 1 million Celsius and made such an assist to Vitkovac that will surely be remembered for long.

(source: GlimmerKKP)

Zvezda tried with full court press, they could reduce the difference a bit to 26:19. Players were literally fighting sometimes, referees couldn’t always follow the stream of events, they just whistled and gave fouls to random players.

It was especially funny because it was mostly the XXL-sized, tattoed Zirbes had to throw those free throws they got. Yet the German was totally out of shape, at least in the first half. He missed out almost all free throws, he could barely score a point here and there.

Jones got a rebound, he scored (28:19). Zvezda was struggling. They could score almost only from free throws

well, if not Zirbes threw them...

they were cramping, struggling. They struggled so hard they almost got piles, but they could come up to only 6 points of difference (28:22), but Murić cut their possible high hopes short with an elegant and cheeky 3-pointer (31:22).
After this Miller got the ball and ran up. He jumped, he sailed through the air like a helicopter, he clearly wanted to do a giant dunk. He rose his hand, he focused all his power into his palm that was holding the ball...
...and the ball rebounded from the ring with a fantastic trajectory.

At this point I fell on the floor from laugh and made such noises like a retarded seal.

We ran up for a counter-attack, Jones scored with a rakish movement. Our advantage was 11 points (33:22).

(photo: hotsport.rs)

At the end of the quarter the referees just had to give the 4th foul to Williams, because why not. Zvezda struggled hard enough to earn 3 more points (this time they could score from free throw), then we could have some rest.

Grave Diggers some time in the second quarter

In the third quarter Zvezda barely walked out to the court when Koprivica settled back the 10-point difference (35:25).

Jones scored (37:25), Murić brought a genious 3-pointer (40:25). Zvezda struggled ahead, sometimes they could score (40:29), but Jones always interrupted them, keeping the red hopes low instead of high, to keep them away from any possible emotional disturbance.
What a great pedagugoe Kevin Jones is.
After this a smaller war started under Zvezda’s backboard. Players were fighting, wrestling, the ball dropped all around, three Zvezda-players jumped on a Partizan-player, finally the ball reached Murić. Murić looked around then he threw a GIANT 3-pointer "from another planet" that the plaster fell off from the ceiling (45:29).
Zvezda got a row of free throws (45:32) - they couldn’t really score any field goal... Grave Diggers started to chant their little song about Vesna Čović, again

no, I won’t write it here, it’s too obscene

but the referees found it too harsh, so much that the speaker had to announce that if fans continue to "support their team in such an unsportsmanlike way", there will be nasty consequences.

Interesting, when back then opponent fans yelled life-threatening, obscene words to Duško Vujošević or when they called Bogdan Bogdanović "ustaša", nobody stopped the game and nobody told red fans to shut the fuck up. Double standards, my a.....

After this Grave Diggers chanted their song even louder about what Vesna Čović should do and especially how. At 45:34 Wilson scored a 3-pointer (48:34), and finally Zvezda could score a field goal after a long time. (48:37)
Then came Milutinović’s great moment.
The standing was 50:37, Cvetković ran up with the ball, dribbling. He broke through the red defense line, a defender pushed him to the ground. Cvetković threw the ball while he himself was falling, but the ball rebounded. Milutinović was sneaking under the backboard, he jumped, grabbed the rebounding ball and ruthlessly pushed it into the ring.

(source: GlimmerKKP)

At the end of the quarter Zvezda got a friendly clout on their head in the form of a gift free throw from the referees. We finished the third part with 52:39.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter Jones had his moments, changing the standing from 52:41 to 56:41. Zvezda was struggling (56:47), while the Wilson-Murić duo easily scored 4 more points for us (60:47).

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Wilson scored again, what made it funny was that a red hand touched the ball while flying towards the ring - had it not touch the ball, Wilson would have missed it out (62:47). Zvezda could score only from free throw (62:51). Williams was fouled out, Zvezda reduced their difference, it started to be a bit uncomfortable (65:59) after they got again a lot of free throws. There was less than a minute to go, when Wilson had a fantastic basket (67:59)

I swear I saw it to be a 3-pointer, well, the referee didn’t

Cvetković scored from free throw (68:59). There were only 7 seconds left, but the referees just had to foul out Wilson and give a last free throw to Zvezda (68:60). But they couldn’t take the victory from us.
It was time for a very well-earned celebration.

(photos: Twitter)

And finally, the extra punch line for the end: after the match the totally absent-minded Quincey Miller got on Partizan’s bus (for the great amusement of the Grave Diggers waiting there).

KK Partizan: Cvetković (6), Aranitović, Jones (19), Murić (11), Marinković (5), Tanasković, Vitkovac (3), Koprivica (2), Milutinović (4), Williams (2), Jovanović, Wilson (16)

Crvena Zvezda: Kinsey (22), Rebić, Dangubić (6), Lazić (1), Simanić, Micić (16), Tejić, Simonović, Gudurić, Miller (3), Zirbes (12)

The final of the Korać Cup starts tomorrow at 21:00, we’ll play against Mega Leks. ArenaSport 1 broadcasts it live.