Eurocup, round 6: KK Partizan - Alba Berlin 80:96

There’s not much left to be written about the basketball team. All that I’ve written (cursed…) earlier are still true. Nothing ever changed. We played awfully, dull, with no motivation, while Alba won over us with half speed. They lead from the beginning to the end, sometimes with just a few points, sometimes with almost 20. 19:21 (1st quarter), 40:54 (half-time), 58:73 (3rd quarter).

Small things to note: Veličković is getting more and more bald, while even the Hungary vs Costa Rica football friendly is more exciting than this.

Two things still made this game interesting, though not necessarily in the positive way. First was the newest bullshit - heard from reliable source - that Eurocup is not a priority for us, for us ABA Liga is the priority, therefore we won’t play as hard in the international tournament than in the regional.

This totally freaked me out. First, everyone should go and fuck themselves with this shit, second, this is too obviously a very crappy excuse.

No, we don’t play better in ABA Liga. But there even this shit called performance is enough. (And that speaks volumes about ABA Liga as well.)

The other was Samardo Samuels’s half-time interview. Some TV presenter caught him for a quick resume about the game, and Samuels had a very honest, very angry outburst, live, on air. He spoke about the lack of communication within the team. The after the game he continued on his Instagram. (source: screenshot/b92.net)

I’m not a fan of Samuels, I find him slow and sluggish on the court, he seemingly won’t be MVP too often. But I have to agree with him here. Because the team is fucking disfunctional (and players know best what doesn’t function, as they are the ones who are there and not us), and the coach’s duty is to put all available players on court, esp. when the opponent is ahead with almost 20 points, and ours function only as fumbling, lame ducks. Samuels might have been vulgar, but perhaps this is what’s needed for a few eyes to open up and end self-pity. No, he is definitely not my favourite player, but we do need more of such open and honest people.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Update: a media shitstorm is on the way. Samuels is still fuming on his Instagram and I still agree with him. Head coach Nikolić had a press conference where he said without the blink of his eye that it’s not him to blame for this situation, it’s Partizan (ie. the team) to blame.

Idiot.

Eurocup, round 5: KK Partizan - Lokomotiv Kuban 83:93

It’s merely keeping the records why I made a blogpost about this game. I don’t want to waste too many words on it, even these I wrote so far are more than it actually deserves.

It was a shitty game, we were shit, we played like shit, we lost, we deserved it. That sums it up.

The beginning was like a constipation. Slow, hard, sweaty and stinky. Lokomotiva seemed to be even sleepier than us. We lead in the first quarter (26:21). As for the second, I remember nothing. It was so terribly boring that I did some needlework instead, or else I would have fallen asleep. The Russian team took the lead here and there, but I know no details, maybe for the better. All that comes to my mind is that Williams-Goss git a technical foul soon before the end and the half-time result was 39:42. The third quarter was very annoying, it was this “pingpong”-game, this team take the lead, other team score, they take the lead, first team take it back… 47:49, 49:49, 49:52, 52:52… you get what I mean. We missed out a countless amount of chances. Like a bunch of amateurs. It’s so obvious how much the players themselves hate it. The third quarter ended with 57:63, it was obvious that we would fail unless some miracle happens.

It didn’t happen.

In the last quarter Lokomotiva realized that it might have even won the game. They actually started to play, and they put speed into their game. It was still far from the level of NBA, but it was still a little faster than before. Samuels was fouled out two and a half minutes before the end. Only 1 minute was left when the difference was 10 points (79:89). The two Americans lost their temper, they played nervous, yelling with the referees, who all whistled a foul on them after every scene. (83:93)

That’s all. Go to sleep.

KK Partizan: Miller (17), Williams-Goss (18), Tadić, Aranitović, Jovanović, Marinković (13), Tomić, Pecarski (5), Andrić (3), Samuels (17), Šalić (5)

Lokomotiv Kuban: Collins (6), Antipov (10), Ragland (23), Baburin, Lacey (13), Ivlev (2), Ilnitskiy, Khvostov, Elegar, Kulagin (17), Qvale (12), Broekhoff (10)

Eurocup, round 4: Limoges - KK Partizan 92:83

What a damn good game it was! We happy, Vincent?

Yeah, we happy!

Did we lose? We did. But who cares? There was pace, there was excitement, there was action and there were amazing tricks.

Was it mostly the French team that provided them? Yes. But they pressured us, too, to run and use our heads.

Apart from this we still (or again) missed out too many chances. The Frenchmen took advantage of it, like every good team should. After 5 minutes the standing was 14:8. I’ll be honest: we were lame ducks. We could barely score, but it was fantastic to watch the basketball parade of Limoges.

This brings me inner peace. There is still good basketball existing on this world.

The first quarter ended with 22:18 and the second continued where this one ended. Lots of running, actions, tricks, Partizan kicked out of its comfort zone, still being sluggish though, but forced to run and trick around. Seriously, it was great to watch, so much that I even forgot about the football game (AS Roma - Chelsea) on TV in the background. Limoges lead, 31:26, then 35:28, then we equalized (39:39), and that was the point when the stream decided to die. After a long row if curses and headaches it came back to life, but it was enough only to catch the half-time result (47:41).

I noticed two things during the third quarter. First was how very well the French team worked with rebounds, both on the attacking and the defending side. (Yes… It wasn’t that long ago that Partizan had rebound-kings, but those times have passed away.) Second that I see neither Veličković, nor Samuels on the court. (First I didn’t mind, latter I didn’t really care about.) Limoges were ahead with more than 10 points (84:72), Conklin was fouled out around the middle of the quarter while Partizan seemed to get weary. In the fourth quarter we achieved 7 points within 7 minutes… Limoges lead (90:79) and had a well-deserved victory. (92:83) We need more opponents like them, that force us to run, battle, play and think.

Eurocup, round 3: Bilbao - KK Partizan 92:96

Whoa. We won.

It kinda happens sometimes. We happy, Vincent?

I’ll be honest. The only reason I watched this so-called basketball game was that I found no link for the game of Ádám Hanga & Co. Barcelona too played last night, against Žalgiris, but all sports channels available for me would rather die instead of broadcasting Euroleague. Nevertheless out of caution I switched on TV broadcasting DFB-Pokal (German Cup). It was Magdeburg - Borussia Dortmund, with breathtaking coreography of the home fans. One needs quality football/sports broadcast time as well.

The link I found was on the verge of death for the entire first quarter, though I don’t think I missed out too much. Bilbao was leading to 26:21 for the end of the first part and it seemed so (even later on) that we can put another defeat to the “incoming” side. The second quarter was a nip-and-tuck game sometimes we briefly took the lead, but at this point it was quickly gone. The quality of the game was between shit and full total boredom, both teams were as awkward as possible. Too many fouls, fragmented game. That was until half-time (49:39), and even afterwards. If I say there was absolutely no score in the third quarter for two massive minutes (the clock on the screen showed 7:56, when Veličković finally pushed the ball into the ring after a long row of fumbling), then believe me I was as diplomatic as I could be. Then Bilbao’s advantage slowly melted and the truth is that the Basques can thank it only to themselves. They screwed it up, they made a 5-point-disadvantage out of a 10-point-advantage for the last quarter (68:73).

A végét nem néztem, ennyire azért nem vagyok mazochista, mint ahogy annyira sem, hogy Miroslav Nikolić vezetőedzőt most hirtelen elkezdjem éltetni. (Azt bírom, hogy most pont azok éltetik a leghangosabban, akik eddig a legdurvábban szidták… Döntsétek már el, hogy mit akartok, basszátok meg.) Néha a győzelem is előfordul, majd akkor talán hajlandó leszek megállni és elgondolkodni egy pillanatra, ha egymás után nyerjük a meccseket látványos, tetszetős játékkal. Addig meg marad a Barcelona meg a Fenerbahce.

I didn't watch the end, I’m not such a masochist. Nor am I one of those who suddenly started to hail head coach Miroslav Nikolić. (I find that especially amazing that those hail him now the loudest who spitted on him the heaviest. Fucking decide what you want…) Sometimes victories just happen. I might give it all a deeper thought when victories come in a row with spectacular playing style and self-confidence. Until then Barcelona and Fenerbahce.

Finally Barcelona got defeated from Lithuanians, yet Hanga scored the most, 19 points, to be precise. (Just for the sake of facts.)

Eurocup, round 2: KK Partizan - Lietuvos Rytas 80:91

I know this game was days ago, but do I look like I care that I’m not up-to-date?

Any time it’s about KK Partizan, I turn into a 3-year-old. I say ‘why’ at least ten times a minute. Last week Alba Berlin smashed us, now it was Lietuvos Rytas, and the Lithuanians were kind enough to deliver it for us home. (Between these two games we managed to beat Zadar in ABA Liga, but there was noting in that game to remember. On the contrary.) To be honest, originally I planned not to watch this game. Getting my nerves fucked up is a too expensive hobby for Average Fan, plus there was also a football game waiting, the one against Skenderbeu away, nerves made from rope were badly needed (finalky it ended as a goalless draw, we sweated blood, let’s just forget that match quickly and go on). This day was also CL-day, who the heck wants to watch a bored, tired team, who are so unmotivated, that if it made physical pain, the whole Belgrade would echo their screaming?...

Yes. Me. Finally I did watch it.

No, not the whole game. No way. I just had to watch football, too, at the same time, for sanity reasons. That’s one thing that most of our scores came from free throws (and not from actions) and for this the game was fragmented. But at the same time our game was so dull, boring,grey and soulless that it didn’t matter at all when I join the game and when I switch to football, because we played in the same garbage style at every point of the match with insignificant semi-talents, and it reached the level of masochism.

Either you call back Duško Vujošević, or disband the whole team, go and hoe or dig ditch.

For the facts: it was a nip-and-tuck game for 3 quarters, with a lot of mistakes on both sides. Then Lithuanians probably got bored with the fumbling and smashed into our faces hard. From 60:57 to 64:64, then 68:70… Two minutes before the end it was 74:81, then 76:86… It ended with 80:91. Ridiculous? It definitely is.

KK Partizan - Borac Čačak 102:77 (superliga, round 1)

After ABA League/Adriatic League there was a two-month-long gap until the Serbian domestic league to start.
Though we didn’t have any time to get bored in between.
The leading news of this period was the verbal karate between FIBA and the basketball associations around Europe.

I try to make just a short summary about it: it all started with FIBA declaring that they were not willing to acknowledge Euroleague as an official competition. (This is not a fresh fight, it started long ago and it will surely not end in the near future. There are definitely clashes of interest in the background, but that should be the topic of another blogpost.) As ABA League is tied to Euroleague, FIBA declared, they would not acknowledge ABA League either as an official competition series. 
What is more, they also declared, all those nations which enter ABA League or Euroleague, their national teams will be banned from every international competition (EuroBasket, world championship, Olympic Games) - countries like Serbia, Spain, Russia, Lithuania or Slovenia (in the meantime Croatia confirmed that they would co-operate with FIBA, at the same time they would turn away from ABA League). As for Serbia, right now it seems that the Serbian Basketball Association will choose ABA League and Euroleague vs. the national team.
My very own two cents: no right decision can be brought in this situation. The KSS can only decide which finger they should push into their eyes.

Partizan had their very own private warfare with KSS in the meantime. As we found out, Partizan may enter the Eurocup-series next season with a little luck (if we can get the wild card). Yet KSS declared, if Partizan entered Eurocup, we would get banned from the Serbian domestic league.

Don’t ever ask me why. There is probably FIBA in the background of this decision, but I (still) can’t see through the why’s and how’s. If anyone has any information about it, you can write it to the comment section below. Thanks in advance.

KK Partizan’s sports director Dragan Todorić had a clear-cut reaction on it. He sent both KSS and FIBA straight to hell, and he added, if Partizan gets the wild card, then we will enter Eurocup, even if green snow falls on Belgrade in the middle of the summer.
And if this was still not enough, KK Partizan’s president Nikola "Pekmen" Peković had a controversial interview in the media.

Let’s get it straight: Pekmen licked the current Serbian government’s ass clear. It means, well... if you don’t know what it means, then I don’t know where you have been in the past two years.

After all these Serbian superliga could finally get a start yesterday, and Partizan had an easy training game with Čačak.
The match had to be played behind closed doors, from a nobody-remembers-when-and-what-happened punishment by KSS. But on the stands you could still see two old friends.

Saša Pavlović and Nemanja Bezbradica

(photo: sportskacentrala.com)

All the flags with the team’s former championship titles and victores disappeared. This only Serbian flag was hung there - the others were gone almost surely as the result of the fight between ABA League/Euroleague and FIBA

(photo: Twitter)

During the national anthem

(photo: Twitter)

The beginning of the game was a bit tough, Borac got a free throw in the very first minute (0:1), then they jumped to 8:12. It didn’t last long, we equalized (12:12, Koprivica had such a great game, why does this kid not get more chance to play?).

Miloš Koprivica with the ball

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Then it soon turned into 26:18.
This was that moment, too (2 and a half minutes were left from the first quarter) when Novica Veličković, who returned to Partizan a few weeks ago, entered the court.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

We soon reached the two-digit difference (28:18, Wilson). We practically won the match at this point. The quarter ended with 37:26.
The second quarter was even smoother. 43:26 (Veličković), 47:30 (Jones), 49:34 (Vitkovac).
And then came Petar Aranitović.
The kid washed off team Čačak from the court. He scored 9 points within 1-2 minutes (58:34). He was at everywhere, caught the ball and threw it into the ring every single time (even Murić’s rebound). At the end he closed the first half with such a 3-pointer that should be taught at academies (63:36).

The second half was just a formality. There’s not much to say about it. We were just throwing the ball into the basket, Team Čačak was nice to us, they just let us play around.

They deserve a hats-off though. It was a fair play game with them, and they fought as much as  they could, despite Partizan’s obvious advantage.

No highlights, I found none official. Yet here is the entire game, you can watch it again, if you’d like.

KK Partizan: Cvetković, Aranitović (14), Jones (12), Murić (11), Marinković (10), Veličković (9), Vitkovac (5), Koprivica (9), Milutinović (5), Williams (10), Vrabac (6), Wilson (11)

Borac Čačak: Čarapić (6), Mitrović, Popović, Mićović (13), Bojić (2), Avramović (27), Bojović (2), Radonjić (19), Stanojević (1), Radović, Stevanović (3), Mišković (6)

League table will be brought later.
Update: championship standings after the 1st round

Group A:
1. CZ 2 points
2. FMP 2 points
3. Metalac 1 point
4. Tamiš 1 point

Group B:
1. Mega Leks 2 points
2. Partizan 2 points
3. Borac 1 point
4. Konstantin 1 point

Basketball news

Partizan's basketball team will not participate in the Eurocup-series next season. It was confirmed by team president Predrag Danilović. The reason behind is financial difficulties. The team’s finances do not allow Partizan to enter the competition.

A big thanks to everyone who is responsible for this. We appreciate it. We’ll show our gratitude, too, you can be sure.

***

Partizan basketball team’s captain Dragan Milosavljević signed to German Bundesliga team Alba Berlin for 2 years. Alba Berlin confirmed it on their Twitter page.

2-Jahres-Vertrag für #Partizan-Kapitän Dragan #Milosavljevic. Herzlich willkommen in Berlin! https://t.co/VZJwNTX1xx pic.twitter.com/GJ2OuSIs6I

— ALBA BERLIN (@albaberlin) June 25, 2015

Three other players are still unsure about the future. Well, I should correct myself, because Milan Mačvan will surely not play in Partizan in the next season, there are no infos though where he will continue his career. The contract of Milenko Tepić and Saša Pavlović have expired, and Nikola Milutinov is looking forward to be drafted by an NBA-team (most probably by Cleveland).
As for Tepić, nothing is known. The player himself also just shrugged when journalists asked him about his future. While rumours about Pavlović talk about the possibility that he might end his professional basketball career.

Captain,
A big big thank you for everything. It’s hard, maybe even impossible to put our gratefulness into words for all that you did for Partizan. You risked your health, you won matches, you carried the whole team on your back. You always acted and talked like a real sportsman. You were a role model for young players and children. We will miss you a lot, still it had to happen. Good luck to you and show those Germans what Partizan-heart is like.

As for us, dear fellow fans, from now on we’ll watch German basketball Bundesliga matches as well.

Asesoft Ploiesti - KK Partizan 65:85 (Eurocup)

It was an easy, training match-alike game with young players spending their first time at an international event. We could even afford to ourselves to take it easy in the last quarter and win "only" with 20 points instead of 30.
But let’s take everything after the other.
Romanians attacked us vehemently, but the heavy pace lasted only until 4:2, when Tepić threw a 3-pointer. Milosavljević added his own part (4:7). Andrić also decided it was time to run the 3-pointer factory (6:10). Mačvan showed himself, too (6:12) to turn himself later not just into a machine that carries the entire team on his back, but into a wild elephant that tears Romanians into small pieces, pushing them into ajvar and literally eating them up.
Then again Mačvan. Gagi Kapiten, too (10:17). Bogdanović also wanted to take part in the fun (10:19). The quarter’s result was 16:23, Mačvan and Dallo had a mini-show at the end.
In the first seconds of the second part Bezbradica also scored (16:25), and before the home team would have reduced the difference to a too tight result (21:25) Milosavljević put back everything to order (21:27). Then came a period when both teams could score only from free throw. First Milutinović stood to the paint area (22:29), then Dallo twice (25:33, then 27:35). After the great teamwork of Andrić and Marinković the difference became two-digit (27:37). At 30:37 again Bogdanović happened (30:39), then the Mačvan-Dallo axis (30:41), finally Bogdanović set the half-time result (32:43).
The third quarter was the Parni Valjak itself. We have never been this brutal, at least not since I’ve been watching the team’s matches.
The home team scored a 3-pointer at 34:45. Then we made an 18 (!!!!), do you get what I say, an EIGHTEEN point series!!!!! The beast broke out of Mačvan and it swept over the rest of the team. We have never scored so many 3-pointer within such a short time interval. (If we still did so, comment it, you can even link videos.)
First came Mačvan. (37:48).
Bogdanović (37:51).
Mačvan (37:54, with bonus throw).
Marinković (37:57), that’s it, the difference was 20 points here.
Mačvan again (37:59).
Bogdanović (37:62).
Tepić did his best, too (37:64).
Finally Andrić gave the coup de grace. 37:67. 30 points. If the Romanian team can stand up from here... They could, until 40:67. Then Bogdanović and Andrić found out they still have some bullets left. 40:73. 33 points. THIRTY-THREE. The end of the quarter was 42:73.
The fourth quarter was easy, we could take some breath. Bezbradica fixed the 33-point difference (42:75). Then young players debuted, Glišić, Aranitović and Kouzeloglou. Glišić even scored a basket (49:79). Then Asesoft picked themselves together and made a 14:2 series. (65:83, Tepić scored from our side.) But even then didn’t matter. At the end Milutinović scored and the 20-point difference was set back.

Asesoft Ploiesti: Szijarto (2), Pelekanos (8), Labović (1), Burlacu (3), Brown (14), Negoitescu, Mohammed (2), Lee (12), Cooper (4), Flowers (7), Runkauskas (6), Hayes (6)

KK Partizan: Tepić (9), Aranitović, Kouzeloglou, Marinković (5), Dallo (8), Milosavljević (6), Mačvan (23), Andrić (11), Milutinović (4), Glišić (2), Bezbradica (2), Bogdanović (15)

PS: If there's any picture or video about the match, I'll update.

KK Partizan - Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd 84:70 (Eurocup)

It was obvious we couldn't qualify for the next round of Eurocup, therefore we had absolutely no pressure on us and as an outcome we beat the Russians like hailstorm does the crops. Five wild Volgograd-players ran out to the ground ready to eat us up, and at the end of the match five sad, philosophic Russians walked to the tunnel towards the locker-room.
In the beginning it didn't seem to be this smooth. The Russian top gun Ponkrashov immediately threw a 3-pointer. Mačvan replied instantly (2:3). Russians threw another basket, Tepić did so from our side with an easy movement (4:5). Then Mačvan, who, by the way, played the troll tonight, took us on the lead teamworking with Tepić (6:5). Volgograd entered Ponkrashov again (6:7), from our side arrived the one and only Gagi Kapiten (8:7).

Marinković vs. Ponkrashov

At 8:9 Mačvan got a rebound and switched the counter again for our benefit (10:9). At this point the team got fed up with this seesaw and gave full throttle. Saša Pavlović arrived, who is definitely Partizan’s two-legged nuclear reaktor and the standing jumped to 12:9. Mačvan got another rebound (14:9), then again Pavlović (16:9) and Dallo also helped to stabilize our advantage (16:14). The end of the quarter was 23:16.
In the second quarter the standing was modified from 28:20 to 27:20, referees were on the viewpoint that Andrić was standing inside the 3-pointer area when throwing a basket. (I disagreed. Pity I’m not a basketball referee.) Then the Russians equalized making a 7-point series. They even wanted to take the lead (28:30), but Tepić caught a rebound by Marinković and equalized. And so it was going. Volgograd was on the lead with 2-3 points and we always equalized. At 36:36 Milutinov got a bonus shot and scored, of course (37:36). The half time was 41:42.
But then came the third part when we heated up the Parni valjak and there was no return anymore. The standing was 45:42, when Milosavljević himself had a 9:2 series out of three 3-pointers, with the ecstatic chanting of fans "Jedan je Gagi kapiten".

We got into an upward spiral, the difference was more than 10 points for us (65:53) after Milutinov’s free throw. At the end of the quarter Andrić and Victor had a wrestling fight, it brought a free throw for Volgograd (66:56), but our advantage was still two-digit.
In the final we just ran through the Russian team led by Pavlović and Mačvan.

Bezbradica played well, too

We even had a 20-point advantage (80:60), the only thing was that we took the end a bit too easy, the Volgograd team made a 5-point series at 84:65, that made the final result.

A famous and beloved guest on the tribune: former Partizan-player Saša Đordević, who is currently the trainer of the Serbian national basketball team

Slightly offtopic, but still basketball-related news that after the upsets of the last Adriatic League match Telekom Srbija, that is one of the team’s sponsors, threaten KK Partizan to quit if Duško Vujošević stays in position. Partizan’s head coach laughed them off, but Grave Diggers were not really in a funny mood. Hundreds of Partizan fans burned or tore their mt:s SIM-card and flooded the net with memes.

(photo: Facebook)

If there’s any further news, I’ll post it immediately.

(unsigned photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

KK Partizan - Hapoel Jerusalem 64:83 (Eurocup)

The atmosphere was beyond description.
You can still try and imagine it. Dragan Milosavljević and Saša Pavlović step on the floor of Pionir Hall at the same time.

(photos: hotsport.rs)

The sports hall exploded, fans cheered in ecstasy.

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Let videos talk...

Saša Pavlović appears at the warming-up. Everyone is cheering and chanting his name.

And that’s not all. Pavlović got a gift from fans, a book titled "Vladari Srbije" (Rulers of Serbia). It is a beautiful, leather-bound, massive book with the Serbian crown printed on the cover with gold. This was the book Saša Pavlović received, with a note inside:
"Aleksandru Pavloviću veličanstverom!
Čovek je često sađen, ali retko niće.
Ti si jedan od retkih.
Ponosni smo što si deo nas."
(It means, approx.: To His Majesty, Saša Pavlović! Man is often planted, but rarely sprouts. You are one of the rare ones. We are proud that you’re a part of us.)

(photo: mondo.rs)

Edo Murić was there watching in the company of Petar Aranitović.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The match started with 1 minute of silence for the memory of Aco Petrović, former trainer of KK Crvena Zvezda, FMP and UNICS Kazany, who passed away on Monday.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Then came the kickoff and Captain Gagi. The one and only Captain Gagi.

Then came Milan Mačvan and plain simply stole the show. Not as if anybody would have regretted it. He got a brilliant pass from Milosavljević at the very beginning and scored a giant 3-pointer. (3:0)

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The problem was that Hapoel played with 8 players from the beginning til the end. (You know what I mean: 5 field players + 3 referees.) The 3 extra players found no rest until pressuring a free throw for Hapoel, switching the standing for their benefit (3:4).

We still had a Milan Mačvan, who was burning on 1000°C during the match, ploughing up the floor, not stopping even for a moment, taking the team, not just the team but the entire Pionir Hall on his back and threw baskets, over and over. He immediately switched the counter back to our side (6:4, with a 3-pointer, why not). Referees did everything to set us back. Less than 5 minutes passed from the match, but Milutinov already had 2 personal fouls. Hapoel equalized (6:6), Marinković thought it was funny (8:6), then, after a huge turnover he raised the difference (10:6) and made such a huge dump that the echo came from Novi Beograd.

Then the Legend entered.

Less than 4 minutes were left from the first quarter when Saša Pavlović ran to the ground. Pionir Hall blew up from fans’ chanting "PAVLOVIĆ SAŠA, PAVLOVIĆ SAŠA".

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Meanwhile Mačvan adjusted the standing to 12:8, blocked and again turned the counter back to our side (from 12:13 to 14:13). Still the end of the quarter was 14:15, because it was unacceptable Hapoel not having advantage.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The second quarter was opened by Mačvan (16:15). Then Tepić scored a basket with an unbelievable troll movement (18:16). It was something the referees did not allow, so they quickly gave Hapoel a free throw (18:16). Andrić’s reply was a 3-pointer (21:16). Of course Mačvan also scored (23:18). Then Hapoel took the lead (23:24), we equalized (24:24), thanks to Andrić. Then, who else, but Mačvan switched the counter to our side again (26:24) after a marvellous teamwork.

Milutinović at work

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Our advantage didn’t last long... Hapoel equalized, referees even gave them a bonus shot (26:27). Another free throw to them (26:29). Andrić equalized with a fantastic job (29:29), so did Mačvan (31:31). Then Dallo threw such a hook shot that left even ArenaSport’s commentator speechless.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Gagić had a free throw, taking us the lead (35:33), Dallo helped out (37:33),

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

then Gagić had a giant block. Hapoel scored a basket, but the half time was still 37:35 for us.
What is more, in the next quarter it was 40:35, Andrić scored a brilliant 3-pointer at the beginning, while half of Hapoel’s team was still in the locker room.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Then came silence.
There was no actual silence, of course, Pionir Hall was the home of total madness. Hapoel made it to 40:41, but our Captain changed it.

Hapoel again escaped, it was 42:48 for them, when Mačvan scored (44:48). At 44:50 Andrić scored, while 2 Hapoel-players were hanging on him as extra weight (46:50). Then it was him again, but now with a 3-pointer (49:50). Hapoel escaped again, well, that’s when you have 8 players on the floor... (49:55), but Mačvan interrupted again, having 3 (!!!) Hapoel-players on his neck as extra weight. Needless to say, referees didn’t whistle. (51:55). Hapoel had a 7-point series (51:62), the difference had two digits. Mačvan reduced it to 9 points, just before the end of the quarter (53:62).
The final was absolutely inglorious... Hapoel set back the two-digit difference (54:65), Andrić reduced (56:65), Milutinov was fouled out... Referees found no rest until finding a 5th personal foul for him. Marinković could score from free throw after someone from Hapoel got a technical foul (57:66). Then it was mostly about keeping the difference one-digit... Mačvan scored (59:69), then Hapoel made a 9-point series (59:78). Bogdanović threw a basket (61:80), to avoid the 20-point difference... Marinković threw a 3-pointer (64:81), the end result was 64:83.

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

For the end, a massive, 17-minute-long ecstasy.

Update:

Cry. And stand in attention. You are spoken, not just by someone insignificant. And you're spoken not just something that disappears in thin air.

Saša Pavlović speaks to you, earthlings.

Banvitspor - KK Partizan 90:85 (Eurocup)

First of all, before starting this, raise your ass, stand in attention and salute to the hero of the match, Milenko Tepić.

(photo: kkpartizan.rs)

The match started with a 1-minute silence for the memory of Marko Ivković. Banvitspor remembered him with a banner.

In the first quarter both teams kept the pace. Tepić threw our first basket (2:2), then he leveled up to 3-pointers.
Like this:

Then again (12:13). Gagić and Murić also wanted to take part in the fun, they brought the team up to 16:17. Bogdanović also said hi (17:19). Turks quickly equalized and took back the lead, but Murić disagreed (21:21, then 21:23). In the last seconds of the quarter Turkish team led with 1 point, but Tepić successfully switched the counter to our side from free throw (24:25).

In the second quarter Turks kept the game more and more under their control, but thanks to Tepić we could gain back our advantage (31:32). Tepić had a fantastic performance tonight. He carried the team either under his arms or on his back, built up attacks, scored 3-pointers, he was the heart and soul of the team, throwing 21 points himself. Here he made a 7-point series (with two 3-pointers, 42:36). Yet Banvitspor started to raise the difference. 46:38 (Gagić scored from our side), 48:40 (Bogdanović had a 2-pointer free throw), the half time was 49:42.

In the third part of the game we made it from 51:42 to 53:48, with the great job of the Bogdanović-Milutinović pair.

What is more, at 55:48 Andrić scored two 3-pointers in a row (55:54). But then the home team made a 8:2 series (66:58, Milutinov scored from free throw in the meantime), and the difference got to be two-digit (69:58). Again Tepić came, now "only" with a 2-pointer, but the 11-point difference was reduced to one digit (69:60). At 69:62 Murić made a huge blocking, I hope there will be a video about it, it is worth to watch more than once. The end of the quarter was 69:65, Bogdanović adjusted the result in the last seconds.
Then came the last quarter, Murić and Tepić reduced the difference to 73:70, the latter one made it after a marvellous steal. Gagić added his part (73:72), Average Fan had cold sweat and put the defibrillator at hand.
Murić came, 75:74.
Bogdanović, too, 77:77.
Milutinov, 79:79.
Milutinov even threw us on the lead (79:81). But then he was fouled out and Banvit equalized (81:81). It was 83:81, Gagić equalized and after a short break came the extra time.
At 84:83 home team’s player Veremenko was fouled out. Tepić put us on the lead (84:85), after this Murić was also fouled out. The referees probably had this nursery rhyme in their head "this little piggy went to market..." Turks raised the difference. We couldn’t made it. That’s it. The end result was 90:85.

Banvitspor: Veyseloglu, Rowland (19), Gecim (1), Candan, Edge (4), Davis (14), Mejia (17), Veremenko (10), Simmons (5), Dragičević (20), Mutaf, Özer
KK Partizan: Tepić (21), Kouzeloglu, Murić (16), Marinković, Dallo, Milutinov (6), Gagić (10), Andrić (7), Milutinović (7), Glišić, Bezbradica, Bogdanović (18)

Photo of the day - baklava-party

Turkish hosts treated Partizan-players with some local goodies.
(Bogdanović's facial expression is simply epic.)

(photo: Twitter/cempelister)

Photo(s) of the day - Partizan was greeted with flowers by Banvitspor

Partizan plays on Wednesday against Bandirma-based Turkish team Banvitspor in the Eurocup-series. After the tragic event of the previous days a delegate of Banvitspor greeted Partizan's basketball team with flowers at the airport on their arrival.

(photo: Twitter/EurosportCom_TR) 

(photo: Twitter/Amkspor)

KK Partizan - Lietuvos Rytas 76:85 (Eurocup)

Another match when we absolutely didn't deserve to be defeated.
By the way, before the match Milutinov scared the hell out of the public with this photo:

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

In Pionir Hall he already had it full bald. Well, God knows, maybe he should have had this one-sided haircut even on the basketball floor. He would have scared the daylight out of Lithuanians, making them rush home as fast as they could.
Anyway, sorry, everyone. I have a very bad mood, I'm not much about joking it away. Especially after such a match, when the boys put their heart and soul out of the floor, yet the Lithuanian team took all away with a 5+3 lineup (5 field players + 3 referees).
The first quarter brought scenes that can be seen usually only at the final one. Marinković made a huge turnover, pushing the team into a counter-attack. Gagić was the Wall, the Fortress blocking the opponent’s most impossible attempts. Mačvan took the team on his back and turned himself into unstoppable.
The only problem was that the guest team led to 2:10. We missed a row of chances. They were just missed, not blocked or stolen. Mačvan then made it to 7:14, so did Milutinov from a great turnover (10:14). Lithuanians earned personal fouls instead of baskets, while BaldHead Milutinov equalized (16:16).

The end of the quarter was 16:18.
The second period brought again numerous missed chances and steals. The first score came after more than 2 minutes (16:20), and more than 4 minutes were needed for the first Partizan-basket (20:26), scored by Murić, from free throw. Dallo made an amazing, fantastic turnover and passed it to Mačvan, who didn’t hesitate (22:26), then came Partizan’s first 3-pointer by Andrić (25:28).
Also, this one.

But Lithuanians were still on the lead. We couldn’t control the match for a moment, even if it was a very exciting, spectacular game with lots of breath-taking actions and even with wrestling on the floor.

As well as with three deaf and blind referees.

Partizan turned into full force, Mačvan scored a 3-pointer (34:41), the half time result was 32:38.
After the break Milutinov scored (34:41), Marinković also threw a 3-pointer (37:43), but the difference was soon double digit (37:47). The Lithuanians even made it to 37:49, which was reduced to 39:49 by the Tepić-Andrić axis. There were still 10 points between the two teams. Tepić took a deep breath and brought up Partizan to 45:51, making a 7-point series. We even made it to 50:54, thanks to Mačvan and Milutinović.

Yet whenever we approached the opponent to 4 points, something immediately happened. A personal foul or anything else that earned a free throw for Lietuvos, increasing the difference.
The atmosphere was great though. (Later one of Lietuvos’s American players tweeted this.)

54:58 (Murić), 56:60 (Milutinović), that was the best we could afford. The end of the quarter was 58:64, even if Dallo threw a basket that happens only once in a century, from our (!) 3-pointer line and scored!!! But the referees kept themselves to the standpoint that the ball touched the ring after the buzz, making Dallo’s score invalid.

The last quarter was similar to the previous ones. Partizan players were fighting like lions, in exchange Milutinov was fouled out, nobody knew why (maybe not even the referees). Meanwhile it was 62:75, Partizan could score only from free throws. Finally Andrić threw a field goal, not just an average one, but a 3-pointer (69:78), but it brought an instant free throw to the Lithuanian team (69:79). Murić made a giant slam dunk (71:79), Mačvan also brought 2 points (74:83), we kept on fighting, not collapsing even in the very last seconds. Finally Gagić scored the last basket from free throw (76:85).

KK Partizan: Tepić (8), Murić (14), Marinković (3), Dallo (2), Milutinov (8), Mačvan (22), Gagić (8), Andrić (6), Milutinović (5)
Lietuvos Rytas: Leslie (12), Dambrauskas, Juškevičius (8), Lukauskis, Baron (2), Šeškus, Valeika, Gecevičius (17), Orelik (21), Kavaliauskas (23), Moser (2)

(unmarked images: Facebook/KK Partizan, Google)

Volgograd - KK Partizan 61:59 (Eurocup)

Another match, when we didn’t deserve at all to lose. The team was fighting heroically until the end, didn’t give up, hung in there, but finally we were defeated.
Everything was going fine in the first quarter. We were on the lead to 2:6, then to 4:8. Murić crowned it all (4:10). But referees didn’t find their peace until the home team equalized. Volgograd earned an amazing amount of free throws, the counter switched to 12:10 from 4:10. Finally Milutinov scored 18 seconds before the end buzz, that resulted 15:12 after the first period.
At the very beginning of the second one the referees fouled Andrić, for sure out of pure love. Andrić thanked it with a score (15:14) obviously this one was full of pure love as well. The team was fighting hard, Murić threw a basket (20:16). Then Aranitović got a technical foul, then at 24:16 the new king of 3-pointers, Mihajlo Andrić made it (24:19). Milutinov had a fantastic score, just before the buzz. The home team made a six-point series, Murić made one from free throw. The half time result was 32:25.
The difference was only 6 points in the third quarter (36:30, after Murić’s bonus shot), then the mountain troll-sized, strict-looking Travis scored, standing under the backboard all alone. It was followed by a fantastic Milutinov-Tepić teamwork (38:32), then Gagić reduced the difference at 43:32. And the difference was reduced again. And again. 45:36 (Milutinov), 45:38 (Gagić), 45:41 (Tepić, phenomenal 3-pointer). We headed to the last quarter with 47:41.
Well, during the last quarter Average Fan’s nerves were torn to pieces. The home team made it to 52:41, their advantage was more than 10 points. Tepić disagreed (52:43). So did Milutinov (52:46). Just like Gagić (52:48). The disagreement was so strong that even Murić joined (52:50). Finally Bogdanović dusted himself off and made the Russians absolutely sure they are faced by a real movement. We equalized. 52:52. The problem was that Volgograd operated with 8 players on the ground. You know what I mean. 5 players + 3 referees. After a long period of wrestling they pressured a basket out of themselves (54:52). Andrić answered with an easy and cool 3-pointer (54:55). There came the referees and a row of free throws for Volgograd. The home team suddenly found themselves on the lead with 4 points (59:55). Andrić scored two points, guess how, from free throw (59:57), the last basket was scored by Tepić (61:59).

This anti-Tepić campaign that has been frothing in the Serbian media since the final whistle of the match is more than disgusting. Especially that the guard scored 10 points during the game. Raise your hand if you never ever screwed things up in the critical moment. Also, I wish everyone who wrote those bullying lines while sitting at the monitor, scratching their ass to live without a dinar for months, working only for the love of the company while all public works kick off the door and burst in for not paying the bills

Volgograd: Zamanszkij, Komisszarov (4), Zavorujev (8), Victor (7), Travis (10), Korsakov, Liggins, Ponkrasov (12), King (1), Culpepper (13), Liholitov, Cousin (6)
KK Partizan: Tepić (10), Aranitović (1), Kouzeloglu, Murić (12), Marinković, Milutinov (13), Gagić (10), Andrić (10), Milutinović, Glišić, Bogdanović (2), Šalić

As soon as there's any video or photo, I'll update.

Coming up: TODAY!!! Volgograd - KK Partizan (Eurocup) and VK Partizan - Jadran ST (Triglav League) + tomorrow: Besiktas - FK Partizan (Europa League)

Today at 17:00 starts the basketball team against Russian team Volgograd.
- It will be a very tough match, we must do our best - said Milutinov.
Duško Vujošević explained in the meantime that the schedules of Adriatic League and Eurocup do not match each other and sometimes it means serious difficulties to balance the two.

I can totally relate to that.

Beside this the team's self-esteem and combative spirit reached a low level, due to all the losses in the past weeks. Plus Mačvan is still not healthy.
- We are in a very difficult situation, but I hope the saying "darkest before dawn" will be proven true - said the trainer.

At 20:00 the water polo team welcomes Jadran ST at the Banjica swimming pool. After the 5th round the team is 6th on the league table, while the opponent is the 7th.

The basketball team’s match will be broadcasted live today by ArenaSport 1. Around the water polo team there is big silence, if I get to know anything about a possible broadcast, I’ll update the post.

The football team departed to Istanbul today to take revenge on Besiktas for the defeat of last time. They clash tomorrow at 19:00.
- It is a great chance to match our strength against a serious opponent - said Marko Nikolić - In Belgrade we could see the dominance of Besiktas. Now we meet again and I hope we could gain some good experiences. This time we are the "underdog", yet I hope we will play a better game than last time.

The football match will be broadcasted live by RTS 2.

Until then, here is a video about the boys arriving at Nikola Tesla airport.

Hapoel Jerusalem - KK Partizan NIS 82:79 (Eurocup)

It was a great match. The team played very well and we would truly have deserved to win. Many thanks to the referees who successfully destroyed the joy and entertainment of thousands.
I would also like to ask everyone whom it may concern and that keeps many people curious, or even annoyed: what the heck are Israeli (and Turkish) teams doing in EUROPEAN sports competitions, when they DO NOT belong to Europe, neither geographically, nor culturally? (Nobody should come up with the Jewish-Christian bullshit, if they don't want me to die from laughter.)

The first basket was thrown by the Jerusalem team, but Gagić immediately replied. Then Murić also had some excersise (2:4). The opponent tried to get back advantage (6:4), but Tepic disagreed and quickly scored a 3-pointer (6:7). Hapoel kept on trying, obviously it was pathetic that the opponent is squeezing their throat at their home (10:7). Milutinov found it funny (10:9), at 14:11 Bogdanović scored a 3-pointer, but the referee said it was offensive foul and annulled the three points.
This was not the last time the referees making an impression that Average Fan was sure it's all about bribery.
Then, at 16:11 the steam roller was kicked into motion.
Murić reduced the difference (16:13) as well as Tepić (16:15), then again him (18:17). A few seconds before the end of the first quarter Bogdanović could finally really throw a 3-pointer (18:20).
The second quarter started even better (18:24). After we made a 5-point series (20:29). Hapoel was desperately trying (22:29), Bogdanović again scored an easy 3-pointer (22:32), our advantage was of double digit. How great it felt to see this... Hapoel picked themselves together making a 7-point series, changing the standing to 31:32, but Partizan realized it might not mean any good, so Marinković quickly scored (31:34). Then Andrić scored a 3-pointer, just to make it easier (31:37). Bogdanović didn’t want to fall behind (33:40). At 35:40 Partizan made a turnover. It ended up in wrestling, and this was one of those rare moments when the referees gave us a free throw. Marinković scored (35:41), but Hapoel just had to get a free throw as well, not just a simple one, but a 3-pointer (38:41). Mihajlo Andrić, hero of the day (one of them, for sure) also scored a 3-pointer, but his was a field goal. Another try from Hapoel (42:44), then Andrić set the result of the half time (42:46).
The second half started with a few bumps. The opponent equalized - with lots of mistakes and fuss, but equalized (46:46). Gagić changed it (46:48), then Hapoel switched the standing with a 3-pointer (49:48). Gagić stroke back from free throw (49:50). 51:50, again Gagić (51:52). The opponent increased their advantage a bit, timeout at 56:52. Then Murić slowly but surely reduced the advantage. 56:54, then with a great 3-pointer 56:57 and we were on the lead again. Gagić increased (56:59), while Milutinov made a brilliant block while two, mountain-sized Americans were hanging on him. (I hope there will be some video footage about it, it is worth the bandwidth.) The Murić-Gagić axis was irresistible (56:61, then 56:63), finally Andrić scored an amazing 3-pointer, just before the buzz (56:66) while Average Fan was squeeking in ecstasy.
Then came the last quarter. Murić brought a 3-pointer (58:69). Then the opponent had a 9-point series (67:69), don’t ask how... Milutinov scored from free throw (69:71), but no oil was poured on troubled waters until the home team could equalize. Bogdanović scored a huge 3-pointer (71:74) as well as Murić (73:77). Then the referees surely thought they might lose control... So they spitted into their palms and gave a free throw to Hapoel, that quickly equalized the result (77:77).
Then hell broke loose.
The referees whistled against Tepić after an unexplainable situation. ArenaSport replayed it numerous times in slow motion, but even this did not confirm the ball dropped out from Partizan’s guard. Then another unexplainable whistle and Hapoel got a free throw.
There is a video about it, if anybody knows why the referees gave free throw against Partizan, please, enlighten us in a comment.

But we could stand up even at this point. Gagić equalized (79:79), but referees did not let control out of their hands. They didn’t calm down until pressuring a free throw out for Hapoel. The end result was 82:79, thanks to those three corrupted assholes who ruined the end of a great, exciting game with their totally idiotic judging.
Yet the match still didn’t end here.
All cameras were focused on Duško Vujošević. The trainer’s face was red from anger as he turned to Mihajlo Andrić. There’s no info about why he was so mad at the small forward, but he made a movement, and this movement was clearly about harming Andrić. He did harm Andrić. Andrić was as pale as death, Milutinov and Bogdanović were shocked.

Everyone has already said everything about it, good and bad, here I say my very own point of view, just in short.
It mustn’t happen.
It’s unacceptable. There is no explanation for this. An adult person does not do such a thing. Neither in public, nor in any other way.
It is not pedagogy or training method. It’s brutality. An otherwise respectful man lost control and harmed another physically (and most probably verbally as well). At an European club a trainer would immediately get discharged even for half of this. (And he should thank if any other club might apply him, in case he does not get banned from all basketball halls forever.)
We must also remember, these players play out of pure love for Partizan. They get no salary, nor any other material benefits from the club for months now. They play only because they love and care for Partizan. That’s why they play, train and put their heart out on the floor of the basketball hall. I wouldn’t be surprised for a moment if Andrić suddenly terminated his contract, hit the road and find another team for himself, possibly far away from here. (Even rules would be on his side, he gets no salary for long and he was physically harmed.)
If someone is screaming now claiming that Vujošević did the right thing, then I tell all of you now, it was not right. Everyone has been whining since forever that Partizan never gets into the European elite, nobody takes us seriously, etc. Here you could see one of the reasons why it is so.
All my respect goes for Duško Vujošević for the results, but as a human, he failed now.
At this moment there are no pictures about the match. As soon as I find any, I’ll post them. Until then here is one.

Coming up: football and basketball tomorrow, with no pause

Tomorrow brings two matches in a row, once the first finishes, the second starts. The football team opens the day at 16:30. They will play against OFK Beograd - that match that is still left from Round 9 of SuperLiga. The match takes place in ul. Humska.
- Maybe we look more dead than alive, but reality is completely different - Marko Nikolić brought up the two lost matches against Besiktas and Jagodina. - The team of Besiktas was another dimension. As for Jagodina, right now we have no time to celebrate, nor to be sad. We won eight competitive matches. The one against Jagodina was the time for loss... Now it is time again to win - said the head coach with hope.
- The match against OFK has psychological importance. If we won, we would be the first on the league table again, leading with 2 points ahead of Vojvodina and 4 ahead of Crvena Zvezda. It will definitely be a good match.
Injuries weaken the team; Ostojić is in Istambul now on a checkup, Brašanac is at Belgrade’s Vojnomedicinska Akademija hospital and at this very moment nobody can say anything when he will fully recover. Vulićević must undergo operation in Germany soon.
- There will surely be changes in the team. Some have been playing from the beginning of the season, for now they are exhausted. Now the time has come for those who had been in the background. A few players deserve to rest, they are overloaded.

The football team is followed by the basketball players. Eurocup’s new round is coming up and they’ll meet Hapoel Jerusalem at an away match. They start at 18:30. Duško Vujošević does not have any illusions.
- Of course we want to win and we’ll bring the best out of ourselves, but let’s be honest and do not have high expectations - he said. - We are motivated to win and I’d be very happy if we did so, but right now the expectation is to do our best.
- Hapoel is a very good team, no wonder they take part in Eurocup, or previously in Euroleague - said second trainer Velimir Gašić. - They are in great shape compared to last season. They have five players from the US, they all bring very serious offensive power.
The team will miss Milan Mačvan, who got a smaller injury earlier.

ArenaSport 1 broadcasts both matches live.