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

Budućnost - KK Partizan 78:65 (Adriatic League, Round 22)

Well, this was nasty.
We played poorly, we struggled and even referees didn’t like us.
All seemed to be fine in the beginning though. We were leading to 2:7, but Budućnost equalized (9:9). Then came a long silence.

The entire game was about this kind of long, heavy and silent battles. None of the teams could score, the ball kept on rebounding from the ring as if it was scared of that.

Barely 2 minutes were left from the first half, when Vitkovac finally threw a basket (9:11). The problem was that it woke up the Podgorica-based team (12:11). Never mind, we had Kevin Jones (12:13), while Budućnost had a free throw (14:13). At this point referees were already fed up with Vitkovac, apparently, he was fouled twice within a short time. Budućnost scored one more, the first quarter ended with 16:13.

In the second quarter we took back the lead (16:17), but it didn’t last long (21:17). The stream was dying slowly and painfully, meanwhile Partizan was struggling. From this point on Budućnost kept the game under their control. We couldn’t even equalize, not even once, we could maybe just approach them with 1-2 points (26:24).

We kept the 8-point difference (32:24), we even tried to reduce it. Marinković threw a 3-pointer (34:29), so did Budućnost, what is more, they even got a bonus shot (38:29). We again reduced the difference a bit with Murić’s 3-pointer, that was the result of the half-time as well.

These two photos perfectly summarize the match

In the third quarter we continued to struggle. For the middle of the quarter we reduced the difference from 42:34 to 42:39, but at this point referees started to shower Budućnost with free throws. The home team gained a 10-point difference (53:43), yet Partizan got their first ever free throw some time around the second part of the third quarter. It was Aranitović, who could score from that, he did so (53:45). As for Budućnost, when they happened not to score from free throw, they did it from 3-pointers. We had absolutely no antidote against them... They overstepped the 10-point difference (58:47), but still at the end of the quarter Jones demonstrated what a real buzzer beater looks like.

The last quarter was a misery. Vitkovac scored from free throw at the beginning (60:54), but for quite a long time we were totally out of order.

I don’t remember when it was the last time we had so many rebounds.

Budućnost jumped to 66:54. Even Đumić’s free throw and Murić’s scores were enough to keep us to 69:60, but here the home team made a 9-point series (78:60). We could score two more baskets (one of them was a 3-pointer by Murić), but they didn’t help us at all.

Highlights:

Budućnost: Suad Šehović (11), Jaramaz, Subotić (6), Sead Sehović (9), Čarapić, Cook (6), Ilić, Dragićević (13), Marić (14), Jenkins (14), Rikić, Kanačević (5)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (2), Aranitović (4), Jones (13), Murić (17), Marinković (6), Vitkovac (6), Đumić (7), Koprivica, Magdevski, Milutinović, Vrabac (2), Wilson (8)

League table will be brought later.
Update: current standing of the League
1. Budućnost 42 points
2. CZ 38 points
3. Cedevita 38 points
4. Mega Leks 37 points
5. Cibona 32 points
6. Zadar 32 points
7. MZT Skopje 31 points
8. Union Olimpija 31 points
9. Igokea 31 points
10. Partizan 31 points
11. Krka 31 points
12. Metalac 30 points
13. Sutjeska 29 points
14. Tajfun Šentjur 29 points

(photos: aba-liga.com)

KK Partizan - Metalac 81:70 (Adriatic League, Round 14)

This was a game to remember - not just because we tore Metalac to pieces, but because Edo Murić returned after almost half a year, recovering from his serious injury.
Here is how he was warming up.

Aleksandar Cvetković also returned, though thankfully he didn’t need such a brutally long rest.
Players were wearing these T-shirts when entering the court.

(photo: Twitter)

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

With these T-shirts they sent a big high five and a support/love bomb to their teammate Mihajlo Andrić. (Andrić’s injury has renewed, and it was so serious now that Andrić had to undergo surgery. He was sent to the Acibadem Clinics in Istambul. The surgery was successful, Andrić is fine, but it will take months until he recovers.)
Mihajlo Andrić was moved a lot.

Hvala vam na ovome drugari... 😁 Mnogo znaci!!! 💪🏼😬 AJDE JAKO SAD!!! #partizanporodica

A photo posted by Mihajlo Andric (@miha21andric) on Dec 13, 2015 at 10:14am PST

Meanwhile Murić kept on warming up...

...and Average Fan’s nerves got more and more wrecked, because on ArenaSport 1 it was still the extra time of the previous Igokea-Cedevita game going even in the starting time of Partizan’s match. When finally the broadcast started from Pionir Hall, Metalac was leading to 2:7 already. Wonderful, isn’t it?
No problem. Marinković and Murić (who was in the starting 5) quickly modified it to 7:11.

Murić was still wearing bandage on his arm

(photo: hotsport.rs)

My net connection was lagging in the first half. I could still follow the standing, but I might have still missed out a few things. Mea culpa.

We slowly reduced the difference, step by step, then we equalized (15:15), thanks to Wilson and his baskets. What is more, we even took the lead with Marinković’s 3-pointer (18:17). Metalac didn’t let it go at that (18:19), but the Empire Wilson struck back.

Then Vrabac sped up as well. He scored a 3-pointer (23:19), then after 25:22 we finished the first half with  his basket (27:22).
From the second quarter on we had an assertive lead. We didn’t let control out of our hands for a moment. Aranitović threw one basket after the other, the half time result was 47:43, but even this result turned out after we were leading to 47:40, but then Metalac got a free throw (47:41) and at the very end the ball was stolen from Cvetković and Rakićević scored right at the buzz.

Partizan’s former football player Petar Škuletić was present in Pionir Hall. Fans found him and overwhelmed him, and he eagerly posed with children

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At the beginning of the third quarter the guest team equalized (47:47). We urgently had to do something. Marinković immediately scored a 3-pointer (50:47), because the Captain doesn’t want to act as chance directs. Vitkovac took the Captain’s attitude into consideration (52:47), then Vrabac scored after a fantastic solo (54:47). Metalac reduced the difference, they made a 5-point series, it started to be a bit narrow (54:52), but no problem, Wilson came, saw and scored (56:52).
Then nothing happened for long minutes. None of the teams could score at all. Both Partizan and Metalac hardened their defense wall into concrete at least for 3 minutes, but maybe for more. Finally, there was less than half a minute left from the quarter, when Murić scored (58:52). One basket was scored at the other side as well, we could enter the last part with 58:54.
In the fourth quarter the Valjevo team kept it narrow (60:57), what is more, Kutlešić scored the weirdest basket of the season.

But no problem. Aranitović immediately answered (63:57), Jones and Murić increased our difference to two-digit (67:57), Wilson even crossed the 10-point line (69:57), then he even assisted to Aranitović’s basket (71:57). Metalac collapsed slowly but surely. 74:60, then 77:63, Wilson was in royal spirits. Metalac pressured in two points from free throw (77:65), Jones increased our difference again (79:65). After a 3-pointer by Metalac Vrabac scored again (87:68). One Metalac-basket left (81:70) and end buzz.
It was time to celebrate.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Highlights:

KK Partizan: Cvetković, Aranitović (17), Jones (8), Murić (9), Marinković (13), Vitkovac (4), Đumić (4), Magdevski, Milutinović (2), Vrabac (9), Wilson (15), Anđušić

Metalac: Kočović (3), Malešević (7), Badovinac, Čampara, Kutlešić (9), Janković (4), Jevtović (14), Jošilo, Rakićević (13), Bakić (5), Todorović (7), Gabrić (8)

League table will be brought tomorrow.

KK Partizan - Union Olimpija 76:74 (Adriatic League, Round 13)

The next was the basketball team in the long row of yesterday’s matches.

Warming up

(photos: Twitter)

Dino Murić (Edo’s brother, Union Olimpija’s player) was watching from the stands

(photo: Twitter)

The game started with Wilson’s mistake, guests took advantage of it and scored (0:4). Vitkovac equalized (4:4), so did Jones later (6:6). We even took the lead with Wilson’s free throw (8:6). Slovenians took it back (12:13), but we could turn back the standing to our side twice with Milutinović’s baskets. The quarter ended with 17:15.
The second quarter started with Vitkovac.

Even three opponent players couldn’t stop him

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Partizan’s power forward scored twice, Aranitović followed his example (23:18). Olimpija asked for timeout, as a result they reduced their difference to 23:22. We answered with a 6-point series (29:22). Then Wilson scored again (31:23).

In the beginning of this week there have been rumours about Wilson and his weakening position in the team. News even talked about the possibility of a termination of his contract. Petar Božić said, Wilson’s fate would be decided in the upcoming games. After this the American pushed as hard as he could on this match - if I wanted to be ironic, I’d say he was playing this time just as he always should. (Yet the MVP of the game was not him.)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

We kept our solid advantage (sometimes almost 9 points) for the rest of the second quarter with the baskets of Wilson, Vrabac and Marinković. We finished the first half with 39:32.

Children playing on the court in half-time

(photo: Twitter)

Our advantage grew into two-digit in the third quarter (44:34). Union reduced it to 44:39. At this point Đumić scored, then Slovenians sped up and took back the lead (46:47). Wilson took it back again (48:47). Guests threw a 3-pointer, Wilson equalized (50:50). Jones made a 4-point series (54:52) and then came the Vitkovac-Aranitović-Milutinović axis.

We finished the quarter with 56:54.

MVP

(photo: hotsport.rs)

The beginning of the final quarter was about Petar Aranitović. We increased our difference to 61:57 with his scores.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The problem was that at 63:61 Union took the lead with a 3-pointer (63:64). Never mind, Aranitović took it back again (65:64). In the meantime Vitkovac was fouled out, the standing was switching in every second. Then at 68:69 Đumić made the world’s biggest dunk. (70:69)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Olimpija equalized again (72:72), there were only 53 seconds left.
Wilson. 74:72
Free throw for Olimpija. 74:74. Only 23 seconds left.

Defibrillator, sedative shot, rope with slipknot, coffin.

Wilson again. 76:74. 4 seconds left.
Time-out.
Olimpija desperately attacks. Everyone was watching the clock...
...end buzz. We won!!!

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

You can even watch the last nerve-racking seconds.

Highlights:

KK Partizan: Aranitović (7), Jones (10), Marinković (3), Vitkovac (13), Đumić (6), Perović, Magdevski, Milutinović (9), Glišić, Vrabac (5), Wilson (21), Anđušić (2)

Union Olimpija: Wright (5), Rupnik (2), Hrovat (6), Mesiček (12), Vučetić (1), Lapornik (11), Lešić (8), Zagorac (16), Mahkovic (6), Zakis (7), Čančar

League table will be brought later.

KK Partizan - Budućnost 86:77 (Adriatic League, Round 9)

Victory!!!
What a victory, oh my God. We won over the opponent with a fantastic, exciting, screaming-nailbiting, going-into-the-heaven-at-the-end match.
The game started with a very nice gesture. A few weeks ago, after the game against Krka a photo circulated around the internet about a little boy, who was sitting at his chair crying, being devastated by the unjust defeat.

(photo: Facebook/Grobarski trash romantizam)

KK Partizan found the little boy and invited him to their training. He even got his very own jersey and he became the 13th member of the team.

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Being the 13th member of the team he walked out to the court together with the team before the start of the game. As a serious, regular player must do.

He shook hands with the referees as well

(photo: Twitter)

Can you show any little boy whose biggest dream is not this?...

Then we walked out to the court, Cvetković came, saw and scored (2:0). After Budućnost’s equalizing Jones quickly changed the standing to 6:2. The only problem was that Budućnost took the lead (6:7). And as trouble never comes alone, Andrić got injured again, only 1-2 minutes after the start, even though he has just recovered from his previous one. He limped off the court and couldn’t join back the game.

So far there are almost no news about Andrić’s injury and most probably there’ll be none before Monday. After the match head coach Petar Božić just said, they very much hope it’s not more than a pulled muscle.

The standing became 6:10 in the meantime. The opponent had a Canadian player, namely Devoe Joseph, who kept on scoring 3-pointers. He was awful and unstoppable. They made it to 10:18. Aranitović reduced the difference to 15:18, but it quickly changed to 15:23. Anđušić brought a 3-pointer (18:23), so did the other side (18:26). Meanwhile referees put themselves into action. At 20:28 they invalidated Vitkovac’s basket, for God knows which reason, the slow motion replay didn’t show any foul. Fans booed, whistled, Average Fan just had a bitter sigh and started to fall into depression. We finished the first quarter with 22:30, Anđušić scored a basket soon before the end.

Fans messaged to Duško Vujošević with their banners, saying thank you to the former head coach for all his work and dedication

(photo: Twitter)

The second quarter didn’t start easily either. The difference became two-digit (22:32). Vrabac tried to reduce it (24:32) and at this point something started to get into motion. Jones caught Marinković’s rebound and smashed it into the basket (26:32). Marinković scored a giga-sized 3-pointer, throwing it probably from the neighbourly Charlie Chaplin street (29:32). Then Marinković suddenly fell on the ground, after clashing an opponent player. Free throw, Anđušić stood to the paint, and the difference became only 1 point (31:32). Budućnost tried with all their might to keep their advantage (31:34), but we kept the pace either by Vrabac’s basket (33:34) or by Perović’s score (35:36). At 35:38 referees gave a random free throw to the guests, because why not (35:40), so did they after Đumić’s basket, because they were in the mood, probably (37:41). But Đumić still kept the log (and the steam roller) rolling (39:41), then Aranitović sped up and equalized (41:41).
And after this we took back the lead with Marinković’s core. 43:41, bre!!

(photo:  hotsport.rs)

And just 2 seconds before the half time buzz the referee whistled a foul on Vrabac and gave a gift free throw to Budućnost.
We finished the first half with 43:42, Budućnost’s player missed out one free throw, the referees’ attempt to equalize had failed.

Children playing on the court in half-time

(photo: Twitter)

The third part started with Anđušić’s amazing steal and brutal basket (45:42). Then Budućnost attacked and all we could see was Anđušić suddenly falling to the ground. The slow motion replay clearly showed Budućnost’s player pushing Anđušić down on purpose.
Can you guess what the referee judged?
Yes, you found it out.
Fail on Anđušić. Don’t ever ask why.
Of course with the usual gift free throw to Budućnost. 45:44
What is more, the guests took back the lead. 45:46, it’s just impossible. I started to search for a spade to dig my own grave.
But here came Vitkovac, he scored and took us back the lead (47:46). What is more, the difference grew to 49:46.

I couldn’t see who scored this latter basket, my net died for a short while. (Me, too.)

And it could have been even 51:46, but the corrupted referees invalidated Jones’s basket, because they could do it.

May all the biased referees of Adriatic League get diarrhea at a public place.

Eventually we got a free throw, Cvetković scored (51:46, at long last), but referees continued to run amok. They seemed to hate a couple of Partizan-players... Then an opponent player pushed Vitkovac to the ground while attacking. Referees didn’t whistle, but a bit later they still gave foul to Aranitović, nobody knows, why.

It was too much even for the usually modest Petar Božić

(hotsport.rs)

At this point something was thrown to the court. No, unfortunately it didn’t hit the referee.

But Aranitović isn’t that kind of player who can get discouraged by a foul. He raised our difference to 53:48 from free throw, then he threw a 3-pointer as well (56:48). At 56:52 Marinković shot and scored (58:52). Jones kept our 4-point difference (60:56), Marinković also helped (62:58), at the end of the quarter the Jones-Anđušić axis made it to 68:61.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

(photo: mondo.rs)

Murić has still not recovered, for 5 months now

(photo: hotsport.rs)

We were ready for the last quarter.
Budućnost reduced the difference to 68:64. After that referees fouled out Đumić. The guests equalized (68:68). Marinković took back the lead from free throw (70:68), the opponent equalized again (70:70).

Volatile salt, defibrillator, grave digger, priest, last sacrament to me, NOW...

...and then came the Jones-Cvetković duo.
It was amazing what these two made in the last minutes.

(gifs: GlimmerKKP)

From 72:70 we made it to 84:72!!!
Budućnost tried to reduce the difference (84:75), but Jones scored again (86:75). For the end there were two opponent free throws left, they settled the end result with them (86:77), also Jones deserves the "Rebound King" title.

Absolutely well-deserved celebration

(photo: Twitter)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (12), Aranitović (12), Jones (18), Marinković (14), Vitkovac (3), Đumić (4), Perović (2), Magdevski, Andrić. Milutinović (2), Vrabac (6), Anđušić (13)

Budućnost: Suad Sehović (4), Jaramaz (13), Subotić (7), Sead Sehović (4), Ćarapić, Cook (11), Baćović (4), Ilić, Dragićević (11), Marić (2), Rikić (6), Joseph (15)

Highlights:

League table comes later, there are a few games left from this round.

Update: current League standings
1. CZ 16 points
2. Budućnost 16 points
3. Cedevita 15 points
4. Mega Leks 15 points
5. Krka 14 points
6. Union Olimpija 13 points
7. Igokea 13 points
8. MZT Skopje 13 points
9. Cibona 13 points
10. Zadar 13 points
11. Metalac 13 points
12. Partizan 12 points
13. Tajfun Šentjur 12 points
14. Sutjeska 11 points

Crvena Zvezda - KK Partizan 92:77 (Adriatic League, Round 8)

Another crappy game, crappy defeat, with corrupted referees who shamelessly cheated the second half.
Though we started so well. Kevin Jones debuted at this game, and according to the occasion he scored the first basket of the match (0:2). What is more, after Zvezda equalized, he scored another (2:4). At 6:4 Aranitović brought a 3-pointer (6:7), at 8:7 Milutinović took back the lead (8:9). Then the Cvetković-Jones-Aranitović trio massively stabilized our position (10:17), then Đumić and Cvetković made a two-digit difference (11:21). The result of the first quarter was 13:24, Milutinović scored a 3-pointer before the end buzz.

Cvetković against 3 Zvezda-players

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Well, the thing is, that in the next quarter Zvezda didn’t just reduced their 11-point difference, but even took over the lead.
They got a row of free throws, one after the other. They made it to 23:24, when the referee immediately whistled for the next free throw, switching the standing to 25:24. We could equalize from free throw, that was our first score in the second quarter, by Aranitović (26:26). Instead of basketball they played sometimes wrestling on the court, with free throws after free throws, the standing was 33:28, then Andrić, who returned after a long pause of injury, scored a 3-pointer (33:31).

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Cvetković equalized from free throw (33:33), and took us back the lead by another one (33:34). Another free throw, now by Anđušić (33:36). Then free throw for Zvezda, not just a simple one, but even three (36:36). Then another free throw for them, because why not (37:36). We equalized with the baskets of Cvetković and Perović (40:40), then referees took on the red-white striped jersey

or they have been wearing it under their usual referee shirt for the whole time

and we finished the first half with 45:40.
The third quarter was awful.
Zvezda found somewhere an American player named Quincy Miller, who is approx. the same kind of player as Nikola Kalinić was (whom they thankfully got rid of and the guy now sucks the blood of Bogdan Bogdanović and Jan Vesely in Fenerbahce). Miller is just the same boorish, annoying, aggressive, arrogant cretin as Kalinić was. Miller was there at everywhere, Miller scored and even sulphuric acid couldn’t have washed the nasty grin off his face.
As for us... well, the quarter was started by Cvetković (45:42). Aranitović also scored once (47:44), so did Đumić (49:47), then came a long silence. Zvezda made it to 54:47, when Aranitović scored a 3-pointer (54:50).
Then it was 61:50. Don’t ever ask how.
(In short: by very aggressive foul-court press, pushing our players to the ground, while the referees became blind.) We had only free throws as chances. First Vitkovac (61:52), then Aranitović (61:53), also Milutinović (63:54). At 63:55 Vitkovac scored the only field goal of the quarter by us (63:58), then he scored again from free throw (65:60). We finished the quarter with 68:60.

Marinković, Vrabac and Jones unite their forces to stop Štimac

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The end was terrible. We were struggling, Zvezda was leading with almost 20 points. At 80:61 Jones tried to hold us back (80:63), so did Perović (82:64), but then there was no stop... The standing was 87:65, when Cvetković scored a 3-pointer.

Meanwhile fan groups were mocking each others. From the red corner they were yelling a very sarcastic "Dule, vrati se" (Dule - aka Duško Vujošević -, come back), while Grave Diggers made their opinion clear-cut about Čović, Zvezda’s basketball president: "Sa Kosova si pare uzeo, četiri firme si otvorio, na vlasti ostaješ, sve potplaćuješ, u zatvor brzo ideš, videćeš" (approx: You brought your money out of Kosovo, you opened four firms, you bribe everyone, you quickly go to prison, you’ll see).

(photo: Twitter)

The standing became 90:73 in the meantime. Anđušić scored one more basket (90:75), at the very end Aranitović set the end result with a free throw (92:77).

Crvena Zvezda: Rebić, Thompson (2), Mekel (12), Lazić (14), Tejić (11), Simonović (6), Gudurić (10), Jović, Miller (17), Zirbes (7), Štimac (13)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (14), Aranitović (19), Jones (12), Marinković, Vitkovac (9), Đumić (5), Perović (4), Magdevski, Milutinović (7), Vrabac, Anđušić (4)

Highlights:

Current standing of the Liga:
1. Budućnost 15 points
2. CZ 14 points
3. Mega Leks 14 points
4. Cedevita 13 points
5. Union Olimpija 12 points
6. Igokea 12 points
7. MZT Skopje 12 points
8. Zadar 12 points
9. Krka 12 points
10. Cibona 11 points
11. Metalac 11 points
12. Partizan 10 points
13. Tajfun Šentjur 10 points
14. Sutjeska 10 points

KK Partizan - Sutjeska 75:67 (Adriatic League, Round 5)

It was an easy win.
Well, in the beginning it didn’t look that easy. At 3:3 Sutjeska sped up and took the lead (3:5) and they kept it until 9:11.

Meanwhile ArenaSport’s broadcast died a few times, so did I, a bit.

Then we equalized with Cvetković’s throw. He threw another basket and took us the lead (13:11). Sutjeska equalized from free throw (13:13), Perović took back the lead (15:13). We ensured our position with Vitkovac’s 3-pointer (18:13), but it didn’t last long. Sutjeska equalized, what is more, they took back the lead for the end of the first half (18:20).
At the beginning of the second part we equalized with Perović’s basket (20:20). Sutjeska didn’t let it at that (20:22).
Then came Petar Aranitović.

(photo: abaliga.com)

Aranitović again came, saw and within 2 bats of the eye it was 28:22 instead of 20:22. It was amazing what this kid was doing. If he continues it like this, he can be the new Bogdan Bogdanović. At 28:24 he threw another 3-pointer.

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

At 32:25 Cvetković performed an amazing steal, then he ran up and passed the ball to Vitkovac. Vitkovac just had to make a flick to push the ball into the basket, and he even got a bonus shot after this. The standing was 35:25, we were leading with 10 points.

Beside Aranitović it was Cvetković, who was the heart and soul of Partizan tonight. While Aranitović threw 3-pointers with an easy, elegant style, Cvetković was burning on a hundred million degrees, ploughed up the court, bit himself onto the neck of the opponent, stole the ball, ran, passed and threw baskets, one after the other.

(photo: abaliga.com)

At 35:27 Vitkovac brought back our 10-point advantage. At 37:29 it was made by Cvetković, at 39:30 by Koprivica, what is more, at his action our advantage was 10+ points (41:30). We finished the first half with 43:32, having a 11-point advantage.
In the third quarter Đumić dunked (45:32), then came a long silence, when none of the teams could score. It was again Đumić, who broke it (47:32).

(photo: abaliga.com)

Sutjeska asked for time-out, then reduced the difference (47:34).

This was the first and only basket during the game by former Partizan-player Đoko Šalić. You damn kid, you must return to Partizan, or else...

Finally they reduced the difference to 9 points (47:38). Here Perović brought back World Peace (49:38). Marinković helped him (51:38).

(photo: abaliga.com)

The standing was 51:42, we missed out numerous attempts, but Sutjeska couldn’t turn our mistakes to their advantage, and as an extra, their trainer got a technical foul. Marinković suddenly threw a 3-pointer (54:42), and at this point Sutjeska’s only goal seemed to be trying to keep the difference under 10 points. They could make it more or less, we finished the quarter with 56:49.
They opened the final part (56:51), Vitkovac answered with a 3-pointer (59:51), Milutinović settled back the 10-point difference (61:51).

(photo: abaliga.com)

Sutjeska tried to reduce it, they made it to 62:54, but at this point Cvetković was like an enriched atomic pile. He threw a 3-pointer (65:54), Sutjeska could score only from free throw. They could still reduce the difference to 8 points (65:57). Perović scored, again 10 point was the difference (67:57), Sutjeska reduced it again (67:59). Cvetković threw another 3-pointer (70:57). Here Sutjeska’s trainer asked for time-out and he scolded his players in a rather violent style, not really caring about the live broadcast... Finally they reduced the difference to 70:63, but Cvetković was unstoppable, he threw 5 points (75:63). Sutjeska threw two more baskets before the end buzz, this way they were defeated "only" with 8 points.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

(photo: abaliga.com)

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

Local reports talk about Cvetković being celebrated by fans for long after the game, he had to be literally pulled back to the locker-room.

Highlights:

KK Partizan: Cvetković (21), Aranitović (13), Marinković (8), Petrov, Vitkovac (13), Đumić (4), Koprivica (3), Perović (8), Magdevski, Glišić, Vrabac, Milutinović (3)

Sutjeska: Pavličević (15), Đurović, Kruščić (11), Ćalasan (6), Mugoša, Albijanić (16), Spasojević (8), Čvorović, Žižić (2), Pavić (3), Vranješ (4), Šalić (2)

Current standing of the League:
1. CZ 9 points
2. Budućnost 9 points
3. Cedevita 9 points
4. Union Olimpija 8 points
5. Igokea 8 points
6. Mega Leks 8 points
7. MZT Skopje 7 points
8. Sutjeska 7 points
9. Partizan 7 points
10. Metalac 7 points
11. Tajfun Šentjur 7 points
12. Krka 7 points
13. Cibona 6 points
14. Zadar 6 points