Fan blog of Partizan Sports Society (JSD Partizan) in Belgrade, Serbia. Football, basketball, volleyball, handball, ice hockey, water polo, news, players, all that are a matter of curiousity.
A subjective blog. English is not my mother tongue.
English version of http://jsdpartizanfan.blogspot.com/
The team is still like a landscape after battle. 6 (six) players as well as head coach Aleksandar Džikić are still in pieces. The management had a press release today explaining that the players/coach staff are suffering from salmonella infection, many of them had to get hospital treatment and God knows when they’ll be strong and healthy again.
Nevertheless the beginning of the game against Mega Leks wasn’t that bad. We were leading to 2:5, Mega equalized (5:5), the overly strict referees whistled a lot of fouls for both teams. (Less than a minute passed, but Jaramaz already had two fouls...) Mega took the lead for a while (7:5), but it meant no headache for us to jump to 7:12.
We kept our advantage. It wasn’t too big (15:20), but we kept it. For the end of the quarter Mega approached us, even equalized (24:24), but Birčević took back the lead with a buzzer-beater (24:26).
Stefan Pot during the game
We marched through the second quarter and we played quite well. There was only one hiccup, when Mega took the lead again (34:33), but we took it back quickly (34:36) with a great Pot-Majstorović teamwork. There was one thing though that was problematic, Mega made a lot of turnovers/steals. They followed the "player vs. player"-tactics, every Partizan-player got his "escort" in pink jersey. It actually worked for the home team, though for our great luck they missed out most of their attempts. We were leading, we could make it to 39:45, the first half ended with 43:47.
Andrić made an extraordinary job
The third quarter brought some struggling. We were leading, but at this point we did miss those players who were on sick leave. Mega missed out their chances over and over again, while we kept our advantage. We didn’t make it beautiful or spectacular, but all our players put their hearts out to the court. This was what mattered. Nothing else. The quarter ended with 62:68, with Mega scoring a buzzer-beater.
Vrabac also had an excellent performance
We had an amazing start in the last quarter. We almost made our advantage to 10 points (64:73), which changed to 68:75. This again changed to 75:75 while Mega still couldn’t score one single 3-pointer. They took the lead though (77:75), but it didn’t last long again, because Pot equalized, then Birčević took it back for us (77:79). Rebić from Mega was fouled out, we were leading (77:82), the home team seemed to be more and more tensed, so they missed out even more attempts. We reached the 10-point-difference for the end of the game (77:87), and less than a minute was left when Mega finally scored a 3-pointer. Just in time. (80:87)
Compared to last year’s Korać Cup final, when Mega Leks tore us into two, this time we had a disorganised, indisposed opponent.
In the quarterfinal we played with KK Dunav. That was an easy 80:60, Dunav seemed to be a likable, hard-working team. I wrote no blogpost about that game, a virus knocked me out so heavily that I was about to pop out last night.
The first quarter was smooth. We were leading to 3:10. Then to 5:15, even to 5:17. Then Mega started to come up slowly, step by step. They made a 9:3 series (only Veličković scored from us, it was a 3-pointer), the standing was 14:20 for the end of the quarter.
Mega jumped to 17:20 in the second quarter, from then on they were right behind us, squeezing our throats. We could make it ahead with only 2-3 points, at once they even equalized (24:24). In the second part of the quarter we tried to slip out of their grip (31:36), but they immediately jumped back and we could feel their breath on the back of our necks again. Both teams made a lot of mistakes, 3-pointers were especially miserably missed out on both sides. At this point it seemed, we’d have a hard, tough, sweaty game with Team Sremska Mitrovica. The half-time result was 36:39.
The machine started to work - creaking, crunching, grinding, but it did start. Our advantage grew back to 10 points (38:48). Mega Leks was not on the top of their performance, to say the least, and as the game passed, it was visible even with half an eye.
We played with the style that has been characteristic for us in the past months, a totally puritan, no-frills, no-tricks, plain performance, though it seemed that this plainness was enough right then, against this Mega Leks.
The quarter finished with 49:62, Veličković scored a 3-pointer buzzer-beater at the end.
In the last quarter we almost achieved the 20-point difference (54:73), meanwhile two players were fouled out - Tejić from Mega, and Gordon from us. It was around the middle of the quarter when Mega realized they should actually play - they jumped to 60:73, but there was less than 3 minutes left from the game. We made 4 more points (Veličković + Ratkovica), and tomorrow at 21:00 we play the final with the Čović Works (aka Crvena Zvezda)
KK Partizan: Ratkovica (11), Vrabac (5), Tanasković, Veličković (19), Majstorović (6), Birčević (8), Andrić (3), Pot (4), Gordon (10), Luković (11)
Another game that again looked like a constipation/haemorrhoid/long line standing at the team doctor for laxative.
Yes, yes. We won. We got the two points, let’s not talk about the details, right?
Maybe we shouldn’t indeed.
The first quarter was ruled by Mega Leks. Sometimes they almost reached the 10-point difference. We struggled. We were fouled too often. Referees didn’t have a top performance either, but this should not be an excuse, for God’s sake... Birčević got a technical foul after getting into fight with a Mega-player. The standing was 2:11, then 7:13. Once we could equalize (17:17), but Mega had an instant reply with a 3-pointer (17:20). We finished the first part with 20:26.
In the second quarter we surely set a record... Within 40 seconds we were fouled three times. At this point Mega Leks did whatever they just wanted. (22:29) Then somehow, very slowly, with a lot of struggles we started to reduce the difference, approximately with the speed of a glacier. 4 minutes passed from the quarter, we reduced to 29:31, then - miracles happen - Ratkovica took the lead (32:31). It didn’t last long (32:33). We made a horror amount of double dribbles, I don’t remember when we made this much on a game. The two teams had a nip-and-tuck game, 36:37, 38:37, 40:37, 40:40, then Hatcher scored (42:40), but Mega got a free throw 3 seconds before the end, they equalized (42:42).
In the third quarter Mega took back the lead (42:45) and they kept it for quite a while. It was around the middle of the quarter, the standing was 46:49, when Veličković shook up the team a bit.
The standing here was more or less equal (48:51, 51:51), then about two minutes before the end we actually started to play.
It was high time for that. Until this point our actions contained basketball only in tracks. If ever.
We modified the standing to 62:54 (Hatcher scored 11 seconds before the end buzz), then we finished the quarter with 62:57, Mega Leks got a triple free throw just 1 second before the end and they scored.
In the last quarter we really started to remind of a basketball team. We were leading, we didn’t have a too big advantage though, but were constantly ahead with 4-5 points. Even despite the fact that we had the tendency to overcomplicate. But oh well. Victory.
No, I’m not impressed. We had a terrible performance through three quarters, with awful, soulless game, making mistakes after mistakes. Wonderful that we could step over the otherwise bit indisposed Mega Leks. Wonderful that we can make it through ABA Liga with even this performance. But I very much hope that everyone knows it’s not enough.
This game was an incredible comedy from the beginning to the end.
Before the game Partizan’s U12 team was celebrated for winning the 2015-16 championship
Well done, boys!
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
(photo: Twitter)
Dino Murić, Edo Murić’s brother, player of Olimpija Ljubljana was also present at the game, proudly wearing his Partizan T-shirt
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
This photo was going viral soon before the game, as Mihajlo Andrić is warming up with the team after months of a serious injury. Eventually Andrić didn’t play at the match
(photo: Twitter)
A message to everyone in charge: KLS’s stream was more dead than the mummy of Tut-Ankh-Amun. Finally I could find a working one, though I surely gained a few more grey hair.
It was clear that Mega Leks came to Pionir Hall to win. There was no doubt about it. Thus they had a very heavy start and took the lead to 7:10. But Williams equalized (10:10) and it was mostly him who made us taking the lead and jumping to 20:16 for the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter brought actual combat fight on the court. At first Mega Leks equalized (20:20), then Partizan came up to 30:22 step by step, fighting for every single point. We kept our advantage (36:29), the two Americans, Jones and Wilson scored some 3-pointers. Only 1 second was left from the first half, when we got free throw. Wilson scored one point from that, we finished the first 20 minutes with 41:33.
Andreja Milutinović some time during the game
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
For the third quarter Mega Leks decided that either they tear us to tiny pieces or they die. They almost managed to do the first. They did it the same way as we did in the second quarter. They reduced their difference step by step, with stubbornness and hard work to 2 points (48:46). They even equalized (48:48) with a huge steal. Aleksandar Džikić immediately asked for timeout, when we returned to the court, Marinković threw a 3-pointer right there (51:48). The players were fighting for the ball, Mega Leks got into man-to-man fight without hesitation. They were always just a few steps behind us (55:51) finally they equalized right before the buzz. (62:62)
Aleksandar Cvetković
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
The last quarter was like a circus.
The last time I saw so many fouls was surely at a derby game. Referees were whistling continuously, foul came after foul. Players were fighting, wrestling for the ball, and even though we were leading, the guests were always behind us (73:71). We could never make it to the two-digit difference, not even when Cvetković threw a 3-pointer almost from the parking lot (83:75). Mega Leks kept the pace (87:83). Only 28 seconds were left, when Marinković was fouled out, followed almost immediately by a Mega Leks player who also got his 5th foul. The standing was 90:83, when Mega Leks got a free throw (90:85). Partizan got one, too, when 25 seconds were left. Veličković scored (92:85). Mega Leks asks for time out. When they return to the court, another free throw is waiting for them (92:87). Only 21 seconds are left. Partizan also gets a free throw. Wilson scores easily (94:87). Mega Leks uses full court press, they fight with all their might left. They got another free throw when there are only 12 seconds left. 94:89. The guests put us under very heavy pressure, while Partizan goes for stonewalling. Then it ended, thankfully. We could celebrate.
This was the last game in the group stage. From Group B Partizan and Mega Leks qualified. The latter one will play against Crvena Zvezda, while Partizan got the red team’s sub-team, FMP.
KK Partizan: Cvetković (13), Jones (9), Murić (4),
Marinković (15), Veličković (8), Vitkovac (5), Đumić (2), Andrić,
Milutinović (7), Williams (9), Vrabac (14), Wilson (8)
It was crazy.
On one hand this match just had to be put to the same day as the football cup final, and as an extra, the same TV channel broadcasted the two games
someone please, tell me, what was the idea behind it? Who thought that if a cup final starts at 19:00, it will really end at 21:00? I get that a football game is usually not longer than 90 minutes, but a final always includes the end ceremony as well, not mentioning the possible extra time if at least the basketball game would have been broadcasted on AS 2 or something
so most of the first quarter was missed. Beside all ArenaSport stream links died, there was only sportuzivo.tv’s online broadcast left. Okay, it was great, because I could still watch the basketball team, yet on the other hand I was totally confused, because this broadcast had no commentator and it was from only one camera stand, without slow motion replay.
But let’s see things from the positive side. There was broadcast and we won. This latter one wasn’t that clear-cut though at first. After successfully finding a working link, the welcome screen was "Mega Leks - Partizan 21:18" which soon jumped to 24:18 after a 3-pointer. The quarter ended with 25:21, Average Fan just had a resigned sigh, after all, the football team won the Cup, let’s not be insatiable.
So lucky Partizan’s basketball team had a totally different opinion.
As there was no commentator for the game, I can’t really tell who scored and when. Nevertheless at the end of this post you’ll find the statistics.
Mega Leks was still leading at the beginning of the second quarter. Then we could equalize, first by the scores of Veličković (29:29), then of Vitkovac (31:31). Then something happened. Either we sped up or Mega Leks collapsed (or both), nevertheless we were soon leading to 33:40. From then on we kept our advantage til the end. We finished the first half with Veličković’s fantastic buzzer beater (42:51).
Veličković some time during the game
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
In the third quarter we reached the 10-point difference (47:57). The team was on fire, Cvetković made a great steal, passed the ball to Jones, who thanked and slammed it into the ring (49:63).
Referees were not on top to say the least. Just the usual... What was fine for the opponent, was foul for us. For their great-great luck their activities didn’t have any negative impact on the end result. We finished the third part with 58:67.
In the last quarter we kept our advantage of 10+ points. Mega Leks tried with full court press, though the truth is, they scored mostly from free throws, as referees very generously served them a lot on golden plate. We could score only once, Mega Leks reduced the difference to 81:85 with the many free throws they got. Still the victory was ours.
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
There are no highlights available about the game, but here is a video about KK Partizan’s brand new locker room (courtesy of Adidas Srbija) for your satisfaction.
Don’t ever ask.
Well, anyway, it doesn’t matter actually. Even if you asked, I couldn’t answer.
The atmosphere was great. A field music band walked around inside the hall playing the popular march song. It was fantastic to see and hear as thousands of fans were singing Grobarski marš on the top of their voice.
Then the band played the Serbian national anthem, too.
(photo: Twitter)
We had a great start. We jumped to 2:10, Marinković himself scored 8 points, while Koprivica performed such an excellent dunk which can be performed only by professionals.
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
The problem was that Mega Leks reduced the difference. Had they only reduced it, but they even took the lead (12:11). They even jumped to 16:11. They were very aggressive, for the whole time during the game. They played full court press as well as player-to-player fight, as if every Partizan-player would have got a personal backpack. Cvetković kept the spirit in the team, once we even equalized with Wilson’s free throw (21:21). The quarter finished with 24:23, Wilson made a great buzzer beater.
Time-out in the first quarter
(photo: Twitter)
For the second quarter things got back on track. Milutinović started with a fantastic 3-pointer (after a spectacular, quick passing of the ball around the paint, 24:26), Murić followed his example (27:29), Williams stole the ball with a great movement from a Mega-player, he even threw it to the backboard, but it rebounded. But Milutinović appeared out of the blue and pushed the ball back to the ring. A Mega-player picked it out, but the referees validated the basket (27:31).
Then came Edo Murić.
From another planet. With a brutal 3-pointer.
We kept our advance. Though Vitkovac soon got his third personal foul, Luwawu very aggressively attacked every Partizan-player, Jones got another foul, after a Mega-player played the dying swan
the slow motion replay clearly showed that Jones just barely touched the other player, yet the dude acted as if he got a 16-ton anvil right onto his head. And yes, the referee believed him
aaaand they got a gift free throw (33:36). Players were wrestling and fighting on the court, at one of these a Partizan-player (I didn’t see clearly who it actually was) threw the ball to Wilson while laying on the ground. Wilson ran up and scored (33:40).
And Edo Murić.
Edo Murić had a fantastic performance tonight. He scored from any angle, any distance. He made us jump up to 38:45. Finally the referees quickly fouled him, Mega got another gift free throw (43:45).
A bonus shot by Murić at the end of the first half
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
The result of the half-time was 46:48, we got a free throw (Cvetković scored), one was for Mega, because why not.
The third quarter started with Murić’s gigantic block. Mega Leks turned into even more aggressive, they were very heavy on this full court press. Wilson scored a 3-pointer (46:51), Mega reduced the difference to 49:51. Here came a Koprivica-Jones teamwork (49:53), Mega was again in our back (52:53).
They were awful. One of their trick was full court press, the other is the 3-pointr attack. All of them scored a row of 3-pointers. Seriously, these guys surely swore on their own life not to leave the Niš sports hall until they kill us. As if they would have been playing all-or-nothing.
We kept ourselves, though sometimes we were fouled for unbelievable things (Marinković tripped over a Mega-player laying on the floor, whoops, a foul for Marinković). There was a huge fight on the court, but we were still a bit ahead of Mega. Then, at the very end the standing was 63:64, when Mega scored a buzzer-beater 3-pointer. 66:64 to face the final part of the game.
Williams and Marinković block a Mega-player
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
For the fourth quarter things started to get out of hand. Mega-players were like a bunch of pitbulls, playing the most aggressive possible full court press with player-to-player fights and tension.
And then Cvetković scored such a 3-pointer that the walls of the sports hall got demolished immediately.
We took back the lead and made it to 66:71. Fans were singing and chanting on the top of their lungs, the team was burning on a thousand degrees, finally referees whistled off a Partizan-attack, giving a foul to Williams, sending everyone to the other side of the court to Partizan’s backboard (gift free throw to Mega - 67:71). Marinković was fouled out, Mega equalized (73:73). Murić scored another XXL-sized 3-pointer (73:76), Williams performed a giant block, and then he got the grip and scored (73:78).
But Mega equalized again (78:78).
55 seconds before the end they took back the lead (80:78).
Partizan got very nervous, referees whistled off all our mistakes. In the last 38 seconds they whistled 4 times, that means 4 free throws. Out of these 4 free throws only 1 went to Partizan, the rest was all for Mega. We tried a lot of 3-pointers, but all rebounded. The only score we could make was Cvetković’s free throw (83:80) 11 seconds before the end.
Only 9 seconds were left. Mega got a free throw - and they missed it out! What is more, Luwawu got fouled out. We ran up, Milutinović wanted to score the 3-pointer of the year - but someone blocked it. As a coup de grace Jones got a foul 5 seconds before the end. Of course Mega got another gift free throw.
They scored.
85:80
That was all.
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
At the end of the match the medals and the cup was given to the players by Dragan Đilas, president of the Serbian Basketball Association. What he got from Grave Diggers, that hissing, booing and whistles, well, he’ll surely not forget it for a while.
This video says it all.
Nobody cares about Mega Leks jumping around and celebrating. The entire hall screams "Partizan ole ole ole" - as if Mega wasn’t even there, as if Partizan had won the Cup.
Summary of the game: in the first half we demonstrated how to play basketball. In the second we demonstrated how never to play basketball.
It’s very hard to blog about these games, when we play as if it was such an educational documentary.
At the beginning there was a small celebration for Kosta Perović, who said goodbye to the team.
Perović announced earlier this week that he would retire from basketball. He said, a knee injury prevents him from playing, while he lacks motivation as well.
Kosta, thank you for everything!...
(photo: aba-liga.com)
The match started with struggling. Mega quickly made it to 2:5, right in the beginning. Jones brought us up to 4:5, but Mega had a very rough start. Their defense line was from concrete and they attacked very aggressively (which didn’t change during the match). We either got blocked by their defense or when we tried with 3-pointers, they all rebounded from the ring.
All these led us to be in the fallback of a 4:10 standing. Marinković scored a 3-pointer (7:10), then Jones activated himself and equalized (10:10). Mega modified it to 10:14, we still tied up with the scores of Jones and Vitkovac to 13:15. Then at 15:17 Milutinović switched the standing with a 3-pointer. 18:17, we are leading!
Mega equalized from free throw (18:18) and it was almost the end buzz, when Jones came and...
In the second quarter the Parni valjak started to roll. Đumić was on fire (25:19), the others followed his example: Milutinović (27:21), Marinković (29:21) - at this point Mega scored, after long struggling (29:23), but Murić answered with a 3-pointer (32:23). Then, when Marinković scored, we crossed the two-digit line (34:23). We kept it, playing very powerful and aggressive. Mega mostly just assisted for us, though they got a gift free throw here and there from the referees. We finished the first half with 47:29 and anyone could think we’d have a spectacular game with great battles and a shining victory with 10+ points of difference.
Oh, wait...
Banner for the memory of Haris Brkić
(photo: Twitter)
All looked smooth in the beginning of the third quarter. We kept the more-than-10-point difference (48:35), everyone was on full speed.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
Even at 55:37 nothing seemed to be suspicious. The game was going on absoultey well, with great fight, fans screaming and chanting, players demonstrating their top skills. What else do we want?
At 56:41 Aranitović scored a 3-pointer (59:41). Come on, boys, just two more points and the difference will be 20!
Or not.
Don’t ask what happened, I have no ideA harmadik negyed elején még senki sem gyanakodott. Tartottuk a 10 pont
feletti különbséget (48:35), mindenki csúcsra járatta magát.a. At first Mega reduced the difference to 59:46. Đumić scored once from free throw (60:46), and that was Partizan’s last score in that quarter.
Mega made a 11-point (!) series. They made it to 60:57, while nothing worked out for our favour. Also, for unknown reasons Petar Božić didn’t asked for time-out. It was just time for the end of the third part.
Vrabac surrounded by 3 defenders
(photo: aba-liga.com)
The last quarter started with Aranitović’s 3-pointer (63:57), but it didn’t keep hopes alive for too long. Mega didn’t just equalize, but even took back the lead (63:64). We couldn’t throw one single basket. The opponent took heart and made it to 63:68. Jones pushed us back to 67:68, then Wilson equalized (70:70). We couldn’t be happy for too long again, a few seconds later Mega took back the lead with a 3-pointer (70:73).
From then on it seemed as if everything would have conspired against us. We started to panic, we had a lot of fouls, referees were whistling continuously while giving free throws to Mega. We couldn’t score at all, neither in, nor out of the paint. Wilson tried to keep the spirit in the team, he scored two baskets, but he couldn’t change the miserable situation overall. At 78:83 Vrabac was fouled out. There were only 7 seconds left. Mega threw one more basket and it ended.
Mihajlo Andrić recently underwent operation in Istanbul, since then he returned to Belgrade. Andrić is a hero, because the first thing he did was going to his team’s match
(photo: aba-liga.com)
Highlights:
KK Partizan: Cvetković (2), P. Aranitović (11), Jones (21), Murić
(3), Marinković (11), Vitkovac (1), Đumić (5), Magdevski, Milutinović
(9), Vrabac (2), Wilson (13), Anđušić
After yesterday's tense game today we presented how not to play basketball.
We had no lack of fighting spirit or "I wanna win"-mentality, don't take me wrong. We just make a big heap of mistakes.
And my net was on the verge of death in the entire first half.
After two minutes Mega Leks was leading to 9:0. Petar Božić quickly asked for time-out. After that Đumić scored (9:2), but Mega Leks successfully practiced the foul court press tactics (14:2). Our attacks were unsuccessful, and our defense was like a passage-way this time (16:2). Finally, step by step, with the baskets fo Magdevski and Marinković as well as Vrabac’s free throw we reduced the difference to 18:11 for the end of the first quarter.
The duo of Koprivica and Vitkovac
In the second quarter we equalized (18:18), then as much as the always lagging scream allowed me to see it, Mega Leks sped up (29:21) and kept their pace.
Magdevski trying to hold Jaramaz back, with not much success
At the end, at 36:30 Cvetković scored a 3-pointer, right before the buzz. The half-time result was 36:33.
In the third quarter we made it to 38:35. Mega Leks continued their foul court press tricks, with lots of steals and turnovers. The difference grew soon to 9 points (46:37). Marinković and Cvetković together reduced it to 46:42.
Marinković vs. Mega Leks’s French player Luwawu
At 49:42 Vrabac scored with a hook (49:44). Mega Leks again sped up (53:45), at the end again Cvetković scored a 3-pointer (53:48).
Đumić and Milutinović
At the beginning of the last quarter we equalized again (53:53).
That was all we could do, to equalize sometimes. We couldn’t take the lead once. We made a lot of mistakes missing out a huge number of chances. Mega Leks just had to take advantage of our missed attempts.
The home team quickly started to score, they didn’t stop until 65:53. Meanwhile the referees gave technical foul to Cvetković (later he was fouled out), then Vrabac reduced the difference to 10 points (66:56).
Vrabac and Luwawu. The Frenchman scored the most points during the game
After Magdevski’s free throw it has reduced to one digit (66:57), but we couldn’t be happy with it for too long (72:57). Đumić scored one basket (72:59), but Mega Leks could still throw 2 more (76:59).
To resume the game in short: in the beginning we demonstrated how not to play basketball, at the end we demonstrated how it must be played.
Between these two there were cardial arrest, depression, scratching the floor and at least two brain deaths.
It started fine. Saša Pavlović returned after his injury. He joined the game some time in the second quarter.
In the beginning it was a nip and tuck game, then Mega Leks took the lead at 7:7.
And it remained like that for long.
It was awful. Not just the fact nothing wanted to work out for us, but rather the other fact Mega Leks was better. They controlled the game, they took advantage of all our fumblings. Even though Murić equalized soon before the end (16:16), Krstić scored a 3-pointer just at the end buzz using a moment of carelessness to the full (19:16).
This was the secret weapon of Mega Leks. Their counter-attacks were extremely quick and if we had just one very short abscent-minded moment, they stole the ball and scored. In the second quarter it started to be awkward, when their advantage grew above 10 points (27:16). And no matter how Marinković threw 3-pointers or how much Mačvan was burning on 1000 degrees, Webster just reached out, stole the ball and scored (41:30). In the meantime referees whistled fouls for unbelievable reasons
seriously, what was wrong with Andrić after the time-out?...
but without Andrić and his score before the buzz we would have finished the first half with 10 points of disadvantage. This way it was only
only?...
8 points. (42:34)
The (x+1)th time when the referee’s judgement was beyond common sense. Mačvan, Murić and Mega Leks’s Kešelj surround him.
Our ordeal continued in the 3th quarter.
It was the same like the previous two. Mega Leks controlled the game, stealing the ball numerous times and ruthlessly scoring. Miljenović and especially Jokić were unstoppable. The difference was always at least 5-6 points to their advantage. Tepić, Mačvan, Milosavljević and Milutinov all struggled hard, with their teamwork we ended the third part with 66:61.
Dragan Milosavljević some time during the match
At the beginning of the last quarter it did not seem to have any kind of change soon. Even if we could score a basket, there was an immediate reply to it from Mega Leks. In the heat of the battle Šulović hit Mačvan on the face, the referee didn’t whistle, but as an extra "gift" Mega Leks’s advantage grew to 10 points (76:66). Average Fan started to compose a very sad match report. Pavlović and Tepić scored (78:71), the instant answer was Šulović and Jokić (83:71). What is more, after a free throw it grew to 84:73. Oh, God, it’s unbelievable... It has been long since we were defeated with such a difference, being so humiliated during a match against a clearly better team.
And then came Saša Pavlović.
Saša Pavlović came, saw and made such a 5-point series (87:78) that Mega Leks’s trainer immediately asked for a time-out. It was good for Pavlović to have some extra deep breaths before continuing to plough up the Sremska Mitrovica sports hall (84:83). Our difference was only one point, Pavlović looked as if he had chewed enriched uranium in the break before the quarter. He was the one who took us to the lead (84:85) meanwhile Mega Leks were watching in shock. They equalized from free throw (85:85). Pavlović got cranked up so much that one moment before the end buzz he threw the ball towards the basket from half-court, but he missed.
Extra time.
Sweet Jesus, in this part of the game screaming cardial arrest came in every minute. Šulović scored (87:85), Pavlović equalized (87:87). There was a great battle on the court, but the referee - God knows why - whistled a technical foul to Pavlović. Pavlović called all the saints of heavens as his witness, but the referee was relentless.
Then the referee whistles foul on Zagorac as well. Both sides get free throw. Pavlović takes us on the lead (87:88), Mega Leks equalize (88:88). They even take back the lead (90:88), Mačvan equalizes (90:90). Mega Leks is back to the lead (92:90), it’s again Mačvan who equalizes (92:92). He even gets a bonus shot. We are back to the lead (92:93).
There will soon be a hole on the floor, I scratch it so much in these heated moments.
Mačvan again. What a performance he makes. (92:95) At this point Pavlović gets fouled out. Fans chant his name screaming. 93:95. Then Mega Leks equalize. 95:95, there is maybe one minute left from the extra time.
We get a free throw.
Tepić.
95:96.
The end. Buzz.
We won. What a game it was.
Current standing of the play-off:
1. CZ 18 points
2. Partizan 17 points
3. Metalac 14 points
4. Mega Leks 13 points
5. Vojvodina 13 points
6. FMP 12 points
7. Konstantin 11 points
8. Tamiš 10 points
Whose idea was this to start this match right at the same time as football?
Who was this perverted bastard?
I can’t believe they couldn’t postpone it, let’s say, to 8 pm. Or to Sunday. It’s unbelievable. It was on purpose, to mock fans.
We could make a deal even with ABA League, to postpone matches with an hour or two, or to play it rather on Sunday, or maybe on Monday, so fans can watch (or attend to) both matches. Plus the League always uploaded all matches, full ones to Youtube, while at the same time bombarding fans with memorable game moments and match highlights. And now there is only one piece of highlights, found in the depths of internet, that is barely longer than a minute
a million thanks to the uploader, saving the life of many fans
because the goddamned STATE-OWNED TV STATION sits on the recording of the match like a pregnant elephant, not wanting to give it out. But even RTS Sport’s own Youtube-channel lacks the highlights. There’s not even just half a minute there from the match.
I wish your mother had a headache on that certain night.
As an extra, fans were not allowed to the game. The teams played in front of empty tribunes, because Partizan allegedly had some punishment from the previous (!!!) season.
That season, when Gogić’s jacket fetisism came to light.
A very few fans could still make it and sneaked in to the game. Not much, but still there were some.
The match started with a touching gesture. The whole team was wearing such T-shirts before starting the game, sending their support to former team member Davis Bertans, who got seriously injured recently, on the similar knee he had injured during his time at Partizan, when he had to undergo surgery and long months of recovery.
Everyone had this T-shirt on.
Bertans was deeply moved. He sent his greetings to his former team via Instagram.
Otherwise, all reports mention Partizan having a "routine win" over Mega Leks. Mačvan played everyone off the ground with his 17 points, followed by Pavlović (14 points), Tepić (13) and Milosavljević (12).
There are some photos I found.
Warming up is the heart and soul of every match
Edo Murić
Bezbradica some time during the match
The Captain
Tepa with Dejan Musli in the background
Old friends meet
Handshake with Maki, too
Applause for the few fans who attended
Match highlights:
And a message to Dejan Musli,
You come back to Partizan. It's not a request or an order. It's an indicative sentence. Your place is here. Period.
