KK Partizan - Igokea 74:65 (Adriatic League)

Pionir Hall was fully crowded, with 7000 screaming, jumping, singing holy madmen.

Again it was like at previous matches, the guest team threw a basket. Just one. Then we took control into our hands and didn’t let them even take a breath. (Just we didn’t want to appear as unpolite hosts.)

Duško Vujošević and the Red Carnage (Punk)Revolution

(photo: Facebook/Гробари ЈУГ!!!)

First things first. Milutinov equalized at 0:2 with a fantastic teamwork. We made it to 10:6, then Milosavljević scored the first 3-pointer of the match. The standing changed to 16:8, Gagić raised it to two-digit, scoring while falling on the floor, with numerous guest players hanging on him (18:10). We ended the quarter with 21:13, Andrić threw a 3-pointer before the buzz.

Dragan Milosavljević during a pause

(photo: Twitter)

After the start of the second quarter Igokea tried to pick themselves together (21:15, then 21:17), but then came Gagić, the Destroying Force and the counter switched to 23:17. Then again him, now from free throw (25:19), and with the Captain’s 3-pointer it was 28:19.

(kép: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At this point the pace slowed down a bit. Igokea demonstrated less and less power, while we were just doing our job. Marinković settled back the two-digit difference (30:19), Igokea’s answer was a 2:8 series (32:26). At 32:28 Partizan got a free throw. Milutinov stood at the paint, he scored from the first throw, but the second fell down from the ring. Mačvan was sneaking there, he swooped the ball and threw it mercilessly (35:28). Milutinov made a giant block, then Murić set the half-time result with a great 3-pointer as well as the two-digit difference (38:28).

During the half-time children were playing on the parquet

 

(photos: Twitter)

The second half started with Mačvan’s troll basket at 38:30. All players were crowding under Igokea’s backboard, the ball was about to drop out of the playing field, when a guest player saved it with a brilliant movement, throwing himself for the ball. He threw it back to the field (while he himself was sliding away on the floor towards the tribunes, the cleaning staff had quite a work to do afterwards). Mačvan just reached out, caught the ball and threw it to Igokea’s ring. 40:30

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The game was going on then with a medium pace, a basket here, a basket there, keeping our advantage. The standing was 52:43, when Marinković made a magnificent block in a seemingly lost situation.

Milosavljević re-settled the 10-point difference (54:43). Igokea’s trainer got a technical foul after complaining against the referees’ judgement. Afterwards they tried with two 3-pointers, but even that way we were on the lead. The standing was 57:49 before entering the final period.
The last quarter was opened by Dallo (59:49).

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Igokea reduced the difference to 59:57 with a 8:0 series, but then Andrić got fed up with the fumbling and scored a 3-pointer (62:57). Igokea was still speeding up, it was 62:61, it would have been a very bad joke to bleed to death here, in the fourth quarter. At 64:63 both Murić and Mačvan scored a 3-pointer, saving lives (70:63). Partizan had two scores left, while Igokea made only one during the time remained. (74:65).

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The ecstasy of 7000 people condensed into 15 minutes. A must-see.

Update: it might have been the last match for Luka Bogdanović wearing Partizan’s jersey. The player got an offer from a Spanish club that he allegedly accepted. (Some sources say he made an "open" contract with Partizan that he can transfer any time he gets an offer from a foreign team.)

Photos from the 2015 basketball calendar presentation

You can even buy the calendar at Crno-beli Butik or here.

Update: a little insight.

Photos: Facebook/KK Partizan

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.

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)

KK Partizan - Cibona 73:64 (Adriatic League)

We started with 5:5, then the Milutinov-Tepić brigade brought the team up to 14:8.

Excellent... Tepić is getting back to shape

Bald head brings luck

Cibona kept on trying, but Partizan raised the difference with turnovers (19:10). Murić made it to two-digit with a 3-pointer (22:12). The end of the first quarter was 24:16 to us.

Andreja Milutinović in action

In the second period Marinković shouted "that’s how we roll", joined by Mačvan and Murić.
And how do we roll?
Like this:

Nobody could stop us. We had a massive defense and overwhelming attack as well as Bogdanović’s 3-pointer (39:25).

Cibona tried to find their breath - with more or less success - but Partizan was irresistible. The half time was 45:30.
In the third quarter Partizan continued to wash up Pionir Hall with the Zagreb team (53:36). At the end of the period the Croatians sped up a bit (55:42), but Mačvan and Gagić interrupted. The end of the quarter brought the result of 61:50.

Air Dallo

Cibona still tried to pick themselves together (61:52), in the meantime Mačvan got a technical foul by a questionable referee judgement. Milutinov didn’t make a big deal of it, but rather threw a number of baskets (67:53).

There was even some wrestling

Mačvan also showed up with a 3-pointer (71:60), finally we won to 73:64.

And a bad news to the end: Partizan terminated contract on mutual agreement with Đoko Šalić. There are no details yet - as soon as there is any, the post will be updated.

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

KK Partizan - MZT Skopje 65:50 (Adriatic League)

It was high time for this win. It was also as extraordinary as possible.
In the beginning it was still tough though. The guests led to 3:6, when Milutinov got the ball for Partizan with a sensational block, then at the other side he score with a dunk. Better to be safe than sorry.

Mačvan - he returned from his injury - adjusted on the standing (7:10), then at 8:13 we could witness this weird situation, when Gagić was roughly elbowed on the ground by a Skopje player, but still the guest team got a free throw. The first half ended with 11:15, when just a few seconds before the end Marinković scored a wonderful 3-pointer.
(And that was just the beginning.)
In the second quarter Milutinov equalized (15:15), so did Gagić (17:17), then at 17:19 Marinković threw another amazing 3-pointer (20:19). The guests sped up and made it for 20:26, but at this point Marinković kickstarted the steam roller and he himself made such a series that made all jaws drop on the floor and the team having again equals with Skopje (29:29). This was the result of the half-time.

The next half was even more sweeping.
31:29. Then 34:29, Bogdanović also scored a 3-pointer, to make it even more beautiful. Skopje equalized (34:34), then Marinković threw another 3-pointer (37:34). Tepić topped it (39:34), Milutinović also had his word (41:37). Then 43:37 (Bogdanović), 45:40 (Milutinov), 48:40 (Bogdanović and a GIANT 3-pointer). At the end of the quarter Andrić settled the double-digit result (50:40).
The final quarter was a festival. The difference was more than 10 points, thanks to Milutinov (52:41). From this point Partizan barely let Skopje take a breath. Dallo threw a basket (54:43), Milutinov raised the difference (56:43), aaaaaaaaand Marinković, the hero of the day, 58:43, then 60:43, he was scoring like there was no tomorrow. Here Skopje picked themselves together a bit and made it to 60:50, but Dallo threw a 3-pointer, and even settled the final result from a free throw (65:50).

Hero of the match: Marinković scored 20 points

KK Partizan: Tepić (4), Kouzeloglou, Murić, Marinković (20), Dallo (7), Milutinov (9), Mačvan (4), Gagić (6), Andrić (5), Milutinović (2), Bogdanović (8), Šalić
MZT Skopje: Stojanovski (10), Dixon (5), Stajić, Klassen (5), Lučić (7), Simonovski (7), Živčević, Mladenovski, Marinković (7), Šehović (4), Nikolovski (5), Cvetković

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Photo of the day: when the basketball team visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem

...and Bogdanović just had to shoot a selfie :) Dallo is priceless.

(photo: Twitter/BogdanovicLuka)

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.

KK Partizan NIS - Metalac 84:77 (Adriatic League, Round 5)

WE MADE IT!!! WE WON!!!
At first it did not seem so at all. Metalac was ahead with 0:5, when Gagić scored our first basket. Our defense was a bit draughty, the Valjevo team scored more (2:7, then 4:9, from our side Milutinov threw a basket). As a matter of fact, we scored 12 points in the first quarter, and 8 of them were free throws. That’s how it was going. This Milutinov-basket mentioned above was one of the "field goals", another was by Bogdanović at 9:19. (Hanging on the truth, Bogdanović’s 2-pointer score went with a bonus shot.) Even though Andrić tried a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter. (I’ll tell more about him later.) The first quarter ended with 12:23, it was rather saddening.
Well, at this point only.

Match action: Laocoön-group of Gagić and Metalac-players

The second half was started by Milutinov (14:23), then - better to be safe than sorry - Gagić also threw a basket (16:25), but Metalac still didn’t want to stop scoring more and more. They made a 2:9 series, it was 18:34 to them (Andrić scored in the meantime). Then it was 20:36, when Bogdanović threw our first 3-pointer.

Match action: Vanja Marinković

One foul here, one foul there, 24:38. Our defense was still a relatively cool passage way (for Metalac surely...), that resulted in 25:42. Then a wrestling match started under Metalac’s backboard...

...we tried all sorts of methods, finally compassion won over the referee’s heart and Partizan got a free throw. Gagić stood there and scored (27:42).
And something started at this point.
As if the pieces of the puzzle suddenly got together. Everything started to roll, the team shook themselves up and Andrić scored the season’s most heart-warming 3-pointer as a beginning. Then Metalac attacked, but we made a turnover and Bogdanović reduced the difference (32:42). The guests pressured a 3-pointer in, but just half a minute before the end buzz Murić scored. The half time result was 34:45.
At the beginning of the third quarter the opponent was still trying, Gagić got another foul (34:46), then... then came a brutal, 10-point series by Partizan.
Yes.
You see it well.
10-point series by Partizan. From 34:46 to 44:46.
Gagić threw a basket. Then Milutinov brought another 3 points - basket with bonus shot. (39:46) Then Murić scored a 3-pointer from a great counter-attack, and the dot to the letter i was put by Milutinov. After Murić’s score there was still an extra bonus shot, but the Slovenian player missed it. Milutinov didn’t, he made a rebound and scored. 44:46.
Metalac tried to keep the pace with a 3-pointer, but it didn’t last long. Again Milutinov, he came, saw and equalized. 49:49.
Then again equal, thanks to Bogdanović - 51:51.

And then 54:51.
54:51!!!
Mihajlo Andrić and his brilliant 3-pointer.
Metalac tried to save what they could. They equalized (54:54), but Tepić turned it for the benefit of Partizan. Finally, 17 seconds before the end of the quarter Andrić scored another fantastic 3-pointer. (59:57)

Match action: wrestling

The last quarter was the quarter of fireworks. Andrić followed his own footsteps (62:57). Gagić was used as a punchbag by the opponent, the center fell on the floor and slided out of the field. Free throw. (65:63) The Kraljevo-based team picked themselves together one more time and equalized. (65:65) Then came Murić and the score was 67:65 on the board.
Then 70:65.
Then 73:67, with Bogdanović’s perfect 3-pointer. Murić scored from free throw (75:67). Here Metalac worked off a bit their difference, the standing was 76:71. Only 2 minutes were left from the match, when Milutinov dunked and it was 78:71. Andrić scored another fantastic 3-pointer (82:75), Average Fan happily screamed, and for the very end there were two points left, both from free throws, one by Bogdanović and another by Dallo. 84:77. We won. Thank God.

KK Partizan: Tepić (4), Murić (11), Marinković, Dallo (1), Milutinovi (17), Mačvan, Gagić (13), Andrić (18), Milutinović (3), Glišić, Bogdanović (14), Šalić
Metalac: Malešević (4), Radenković, Bakić (11), Kutlešić (12), Otašević (3), Majstorović (10), Jevtović (8), Jošilo (7), Tomašević, Ljubičić (10), Rakićević, Todorović (12)

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Hard work

The basketball team is working hard for today's clash with Banvitspor. Photos from the gym.

Yes, it’s true: Dragan Milosavljević is training with the team :) This time in the company of Luka Bogdanović

Cracking of hip joints, 3, 2, 1... Tepić and Bezbradica are giving an example to follow, Andrić looks a bit shy, while Gagić is watching in the background with a wide grin

Milan Mačvan, who signed to KK Partizan in the past days. He had played in the team earlier, being on loan

Luka Bogdanović following Titus Dugović in track

Reminder: match will be broadcasted live by ArenaSport 1 at 18:00.

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)