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.

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.