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/
Showing posts with label Vanja Marinković. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vanja Marinković. Show all posts
Auuuu.
This short word (emotional expression?) includes the whole game. It was tough, it was a struggle, we didn't play well, we got defeated.
The first quarter wasn’t that bad, though it was clear even then that this Zagreb night won’t be a night to remember. We quickly scored 7 points at the beginning, we were leading to 5:7, then nothing happened for two and a half minutes. Really nothing. Well, all right, there were too many missed-out attempts on both sides. Finally Cedevita equalized in the 4th minute (7:7) and from then on it was a nip-and-tuck game in the first part. A basket here, a basket there. Only one in a minute though. After five and a half minutes the standing was 9:7, after a bit more than six minutes Marinković scored a 3-pointer, 9:10. About a minute later 11:10. You get the point. It wasn’t spectacular, it wasn’t exciting, it was slow. We still won the first quarter though, the standing was 16:16, half a minute was left when Andrić scored (16:18).
Birčević, Koprivica and Hatcher try to stop Žganec
In the second quarter Cedevita decided to step over this fumbling and took control in their hands. They jumped to 24:18, though the slow and struggling pace of the game didn't speed up. Croatians were leading, we made a lot of mistakes (I don’t remember when I had seen last time so many offensive rebounds). For our great luck Cedevita was the same effective with pushing the ball to the ring as us, yet still somehow they managed to do it a bit better than us. The standing was 30:22, then 32:25, the pace was again 1 basket/minute for both teams. For the end of the quarter Croatians were ahead with 10 points (36:26). We could nevertheless pick ourselves together for the last minutes and made a 37:30 half-time standing.
All the game’s struggles in one photo: Birčević fighting for the ball with Džanan Musa
We usually drop back a bit in the third quarter every time. This time it looked like this: the struggling pace was still on, together with the million missed out attempts and Cedevita leading to 48:32. There wasn’t any special trick in their game, they had the same struggling pace like us, they made a lot of mistakes like us, just, God knows, maybe mentally they were a bit more collected and they could push through their will despite the fumbling. The difference was almost 20 points (55:36), though finally we could avoid this shame. Birčević (he was the best in this game) and Marinković clenched their teeth and pushed us up to 57:43. A few seconds were left when the Croatians could still force a basket in. (59:43)
A Cedevita-player surrounded by Vrabac and Birčević
In the last quarter we made the difference a bit less (62:50) there was even some slight hope that maybe if we can speed up, we could make it really tough for Cedevita... I think you won’t take it as a spoiler if I say we couldn’t. The Croatian team could hold the 10+ diffeerence, while we struggled to score. Majstorović was fouled out, but it did neither good, nor harm. Croatians were leading to 75:58, we reduced it to 75:63, but at this point there was less than one and a half minutes left from the game. Hatcher scored (77:65), one more Croatian basket slid in 8 seconds before the end, finally Birčević scored a buzzer-beater (79:67).
Cedevita: James (8), Krušlin (6), Boatright (21), Katić (3), Žganec (10), Musa (2), Bilan (14), Shurna, Begić (1), Rogić, Tomas (3), Arapović (11)
I seriously couldn’t pick a better return than this derby.
What a great game it was. Just GREAT. Big fight, huge battle, no idle moments. Marinković flashed right at the beginning with a 3-pointer.
Then Birčević also had his moment.
The referees were awful. I was ashamed seeing them. Majstorović had 3 fouls (!!!) for the middle of the first quarter. We were leading though. Our advantage was always 2-3 points, but we kept the lead in our hands. Zvezda sometimes equalized, but they could never step ahead of us. The referees fouled us a million times, Zvezda got the usual gift free throws, in fact they could score almost only from free throws. Their attempts for field goal failed. The first quarter ended with 21:17, Andrić scored a fantastic 3-pointer 1 second before the buzz.
Jamont Gordon
The gate for technical fouls opened in the second quarter. The first lucky winner was Zvezda’s head coach right in the beginning, meanwhile on the court the referees fouled us even when our players just took a breath - but when Luković was pushed around the paint, that was no foul... The second part brought an intense, great game with a lot of battles. Fans were chanting the most vulgar rhythms, but if a team’s president is a mafioso, they have to bear the consequences. The standing was 46:46 in the half-time.
Stefan Birčević
Zvezda took the lead in the third quarter. Their advantage wasn’t much, only 2-3 points, yet we always equalized. And again we got A LOT OF FOULS. Just too many. Simple foul, unsportsmanlike foul, while Simonović was the next lucky winner of a technical one. (I’m not sure, if it was at this point or later/earlier, but he had to leave the court as well.) Zvezda took back the lead one and a half minutes before the end buzz and they kept it. The third part brought the standing of 67:72.
Novica Veličković and Miloš Koprivica try to stop Gudurić
The fourth quarter was the same like the previous three as the referees kept on fouling us. Zvezda was still leading (69:73), but then came Veličković and Hatcher, and they were not leading anymore (73:73). Marinković came and it was again us who were leading. (76:73)
From then on we didn’t let control out of our hands. Zvezda had a lot of mistakes, the ball always rebounded from the ring, when they had an attempt. Lazić got fouled out after pushing Hatcher to the court. Luka Mitrović was the next winner of a technical foul... chaos emerged in the lines of the opponent. We were leading. The standing was 83:78, less than one and a half minutes were left, when Hatcher got the ball. He was quite a few steps out of the 3-point-line, but Hatch threw the ball.
Because Hatcher is a ballsy Partizan-kid.
Did he score?
HE DID!!!
Zvezda squeezed out 3 more points for themselves, Mitrović was fouled out, but all these didn’t matter at all.
Nothing mattered.
We won.
Be happy and celebrate, dear everyone, because Charles Jenkins has returned to Belgrade. Not as if anyone would have missed him. What a joy it was when he left for Milan. It seems even in Milan nobody misses him. By the way, is there anyone who could tell why this moron has Serbian citizenship?... And if he has, then why do I not have any?...
Birčević is seemingly in shock to meet Jenkins again
The first quarter was relatively good. The battle was equal, nip-and-tuck game with no major differences. Though Hatcher got a technical foul after 5 minutes (he fought with Jenkins, his technical foul is forgiven). Then Koprivica was fouled twice within 10 seconds, this one was a bit more tough. (What is more, around the end of the quarter he got his third foul...) Gudurić also got a technical foul, then - less than 30 seconds were left - another Zvezda-player got a technical as well. We were leading to 20:23, only five seconds were left, Zvezda scored a basket, but it was double dribble, the referees invalidated it. Fans were raging, they were booing and hissing (the tribunes were all in red-and-white, only a handful of Partizan-fans were allowed, and they were surrounded by gendarmerie), but who cared for the whining of Zvezda-fans. We were leading.
Vanja Marinković
It started in the second quarter, namely that process which is usual at such derbies. Referees whistle off everything, giving fouls to Partizan-players. Zvezda gets a million free throws, of course they take the lead. We kept the pace at the beginning (22:26), but two minutes later Zvezda took the lead after those gift free throws. (27:26).
I have to admit though, we had too many missed-out chances. Really. It was a pain to watch. Especially the missed-out 3-pointers. We paid the price for these.
Finally we could score (31:28), then we reduced to 34:31. Only two minutes were left, when Zvezda made it to 10 points (44:34), while we were just struggling. We got a long row of fouls, but when Veličković was pushed to the floor, that was not whistled off... The referee just waved to Partizan’s team captain to stand up, come on, come on... Hatcher made a buzzer-beater 3-pointer, with his score we finished the first half with 48:39.
At first it seems like a romantic ’I wanna hold your hand’-scene between Vrabac and Jović, but in real they want to strangle each other
The third quarter was the sequel of the first two. We were fouled at almost every Zvezda-attack, Zvezda got a gift free throw every time, while we were struggling to score. The enemy was leading to 54:39. Foul came after foul, as if the world was against us. 56:43... Aleksandar Džikić asked for time-out in the middle of the quarter. Seriously, once he will get an apoplectic seizure during a time-out for yelling so much and so hard with the players.
I’m not familiar with such things, also it’s easy to play the smartass from here, at the sideline, but can anyone tell why must half the time-out be wasted with Džikić yelling at the players, sometimes in a too rough way? Isn’t a time-out rather for tactical discussion, while keeping the yelling part for the locker room?
It didn’t get any better for us. 61:46... We made every possible mistake. Or scenes like two Zvezda-players were hanging on Luković, the referee didn’t bat an eyelid. But when Luković hung on a Zvezda-player at the other side of the court, he was fouled immediately. At the end of the quarter the difference was 20 points (67:46), Average Fan was watching the endless row of fouls with just a dry smile. The quarter finished with 70:53.
Andrić and Majstorović wrestling with Mitrović for the ball. Can anyone tell why Andrić entered the game only in the middle of the third half?
And then, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the standing was 72:53, the head coach of Zvezda got the crust to make a tantrum when Zvezda got an offensive foul. (What a tantrum that was, my good God.)
The standing was 73:59, it was around the middle of the quarter, when Majstorović stayed laying on the ground with a painful face. The slow motion replay showed him clashing with someone and getting injured on the ingunial.
He could stand on his feet only with the help of the team doctor
He limped to the bench with Andrić’s support
What has to be noticed though: as Majstorović was limping off the court, he got an applause from Zvezda-fans. This was nice of you, guys. Thanks. Really.
Faith in humanity restored
The game continued and it was the same... (fault >> gift free throw to them, missed-out chances here). 77:61... 82:66... Finally, at 83:70 Vrabac scored, 24 seconds before the end. This way we could avoid the 10-point difference. But let’s just rather forget this game. Update: it seems Majstorović needs at least a month of rest to recover from his injury
This game was like a capital constipation. Even against Budućnost it was less strain and struggle, though even that game was like a nodus haemorrhoidalis. But this one against the Poles... I bet right now the entire team stands in line at the team doctor’s waiting room and every player gets the most brutal laxative on prescription.
Let’s see what happened.
We needed almost 3 minutes for a 3:0 standing, and even this was brought in two parts. First a field goal by Birčević, then a one-from-two free throw by Karahodžić. The Polish team equalized in the 3rd minute (3:3). At 5 and a half minutes Zielona Gora was leading to 5:9. We lost the ball in such ways that was hair-raising. It means no comfort either that Poles were not better than us at all. They struggled and fumbled the same way as we did, it’s a shame we couldn’t turn it for our advantage.
We jumped to 10:11, then we equalized (11:11) around the 7th minute. Then came a Polish 3-pointer, Veličković equalized (14:14). 50 seconds were left until the end buzz, another 3-pointer by Zielona. Robinson equalized, the first quarter finished with 17:17.
Hatcher in a Polish sandwich
The second quarter was a bit more exciting. Zielona Gora was leading again (19:22), but then we quickly took the lead and even kept it unti the half-time. We played with self-confidence, Average Fan naively thought it could still turn out as a great match after that struggle in the beginning. In the 7th minute we were leading to 33:25, and then the Polish team started to come up, step by step. It was all unnoticed, they scored one basket in each minute. No joke. One minute, one basket. And we scored NONE, unbelievable. The half-time was 35:32, it was high time for a break.
Not sure if Birčević is about to cock a snook at the referee or is trying to convince him that he didn’t drink 10 beers before the game
The third quarter was a nighmare.
We scored 6 points. SIX POINTS. Not more, not less.
Six points.
Our first score came after two and a half minutes (37:32, Veličković). A minute later Ratkovica scored the next (39:32). The head coach of Zielona Gora got fed up and asked for time-out. All right. We walked back to the court. The Poles scored their first basket after four and a half minutes in the second half, just the problem is that they could still score more than we did. They equalized in the 6th minute (39:39). Marinković scored our 6th point (41:39) and then we called it a day. At least for this quarter. During the remaining 4 minutes Poles came up to 41:45, because we missed out a terrible amount of chances, and lost the ball just too often (offering free steal or turnover to the guests).
Vanja Marinković’s facial expression mirrors the entire game
The fourth quarter brought no good either. Both teams struggled, with a LOT OF missed-out attempts on both sides, especially 3-pointers.
Duško Vujošević would have torn the whole team’s head off at this point and kicked out everyone from Pionir Hall, one after the other. (I don’t care that it’s officially not Pionir Hall anymore, for me it will always and forever stay as Pionir Hall.)
We jumped to 44:45, then Birčević was especially alert, stole a wandering ball, ran up, scored and took the lead (46:45).
By the way, we were excellent in blocking. If basketball had been played for blocks, we would be champions, for sure.
In the 6th minute we equalized (48:48), but Poles again took the lead and it all looked especially sad. Barely 2 minutes were left, they were leading to 50:54, but then entered Novica Veličković and equalized (54:54).
He was the only one tonight whose performance is worth to mention
What is more, Ratkovica took back the lead from free throw (56:54).
Less than 30 seconds were left, Zielona Gora equalized (56:56). Partizan attacks. 11 seconds are left. Novica Veličković scores (58:56). One very last attack by Zielona Gora. Only one second is left... and Florence slips out through the sideline in the critical moment, when he was just about to throw the ball. The referee whistles it off. We get the ball, and the game is over.
Over and out.
PS: Does anyone know why Andrić didn’t play even a minute?
This was painful :(
We didn’t have such a bad start though. In the beginning we kept the pace with Besiktas, we even took the lead (7:8). Turks took it back, but we were always behind them with one step (16:13, 19:16). The quarter ended with 25:16, though at this point it seemed nothing is lost yet.
In the second quarter Turks reached the 10-point difference (26:16). They couldn’t be too proud of themselves, because they missed out a lot of chances. So did we... that was the problem.
Besiktas missed out chances, thanks to Luković and his XXL blocks
We jumped to 30:25 with Robinson’s baskets, but we seemed to run out of breath even at this point. It was a tough quarter, we made many mistakes and even though Besiktas was not on top either, it brought us no comfort. (Small malicious grin: Partizan-players surrounded Štimac and brought him a few moments CZ’s ex-player surely doesn’t want to remember.) The first half ended with 35:31, Hatcher scored at the end.
In the third quarter Besiktas brought back their 10-point advantage (55:45). Something just didn’t work. No breath. We slowly collapsed. That’s the truth... The quarter ended with 60:45.
In the last part Besiktas practically did whatever they just wanted. At the end they were leading with 23 points... From this point on all that was left for us was to die with dignity.
That was all. 77:62.
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.
Tonight my net connection followed the events of the game.
At the beginning it worked, but with lagging. In the second quarter it died, I missed out most of that part. Then in the half time it came back to life, sped up and for the rest of the game it was like as if I had the most brutal glass fibre cables with the broadest band internet connection. Absolutely no lagging, it was all smooth.
It was the same with Partizan. Things worked in the first quarter, but for the second - as reports say - Zadar took control in their hands and it looked very sad and bitter for Partizan. Then who knows what Aleksandar Džikić told them in the half time, or maybe they all chewed enriched uranium rods, because five roaring lions appeared on the court for the second half and they tore Croatians into small pieces.
At first we switched the standing from 0:3 to 4:3, meanwhile Cvetković collected two personal fouls within one and a half minutes.
Referees heavily disliked Cvetković tonight. Not just him, but Partizan overall.
Zadar took back the lead (4:6), Murić equalized from free throw (6:6), and what came then...
Dear passengers, please, fasten your seatbelts, Murić Airlines’s flight to Belgrade departs right now.
We jumped to 16:6 (!!!) with the baskets of Cvetković, Jones and Murić. After a while we were leading to 20:9, but Zadar reduced it to 23:15.
At this point the stream was already lagging heavily.
Murić set back the 10-point difference (25:15), but Zadar could gain 3 more points from field goal and free throw. We finished the first quarter with 25:18.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
Nobody suspected anything even in the beginning of the second quarter. We were leading to 30:22, then Croatians started to throw baskets, one after the other and reduced the difference to 33:30.
At this point the stream died and I found no other working one. Nerve-racking minutes passed with pitch-black screen.
Upon match reports Zadar scored a lot of 3-pointers. First they equalized, then they took back the lead. When once the stream worked for a short while, the standing was 41:43, right after Cvetković’s basket. There was barely one minute left from the first half, Murić presented a very brave blocking, but Zadar still scored just before the end buzz, making the first half’s result to 41:45.
(photo: srbijadanas.com)
In the half-time something interesting happened. At Partizan’s matches children are allowed in the half-time pause to run and play on the court, but this time it was all silent and empty. As it turned out, a mysterious, bald man wearing all black was walking around the court, forbidding children to enter.
It was him
(photo: Twitter)
But a little girl managed to sneak on the court behind the black security guard’s back.
(photo: Twitter)
People greeted the little one with applause and ovation, while she was happly waving to the crowd.
(photo: Twitter)
Then came the second half. At first it was only struggle. Zadar made it to 41:49 and referees were against us, too. Zadar’s players fought hard in every possible and impossible way to keep us away from their paint, and the referees, well, they either whistled it off or not, according to their momentary mood.
Then something happened. Maybe the enriched uranium started to work, who knows. First Marinković scored from free throw (43:49), then Murić (45:49), also Jones (47:49). The Croatian coach asked for time-out, but when we returned to the court, Cvetković stole the ball, ran up and equalized with a fantastic goal. (49:49)
(photo: aba-liga.com)
He even took back the lead for us from free throw (51:49). Zadar equalized (51:51), but Murić came, saw and scored a great 3-pointer (54:51). Cvetković followed his example (57:51).
Referees entered.
They quickly gave a technical foul to Đumić (was it really Đumić, I’m not sure if I saw it well), while Cvetković got his 4th personal foul. But even that couldn’t stop us. We jumped to 60:52 (meanwhile someone from Partizan got another technical foul...). At 62:53 referees gave a gift free throw to Zadar (62:56), Đumić scored, finally we ended the third part of the game with 64:58.
The last quarter started with Milutinović’s amazing basket (66:58). He jumped after a rebounding ball and scored while falling.
(photo: Twitter)
We kept Zadar under harder and harder pressure and reached the 10-point difference (70:60) with Vrabac’s basket.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
Zadar’s coach asked for time-out, but even that didn’t help. Williams scored twice (74:62), Zadar fought with tooth and nail - and with legs. (Once there was an actual football match inside Partizan’s paint, referees didn’t whistle.) They could reduce it to 74:66. Williams set back the 10-point difference (76:66), Wilson scored a 3-pointer (79:66), so did Cvetković (82:66). Zadar threw a 3-pointer, too, just like Murić (85:69). And even that didn’t matter that Cvetković was fouled out 77 seconds before the end, and Zadar got a gift free throw (85:71). Murić added two points from free throw (87:71), Zadar desperately fought and finally managed to earn 5 more points, but the imposing difference was still there (87:76).
Time to celebrate, time to shake hands with fans.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
(photos: Twitter)
Highlights:
KK Partizan: Cvetković (15), Aranitović, Jones (17), Murić (20), V.
Marinković (4), Vitkovac, Đumić (8), Magdevski, Milutinović (8),
Williams (6), Vrabac (4), Wilson (5)
Zadar: Bašić (5),
Cosey (19), Kraljević (6), Šango, Delaš (8), Špaleta, M. Ramljak (9),
Bošnjak (7), I. Marinković (7), Barać (15), I. Ramljak
League table will be brought later.
Update: current standing of the League
1. Budućnost 44 points
2. CZ 40 points
3. Cedevita 40 points
4. Mega Leks 39 points
5. Cibona 33 points
6. Partizan 33 points
7. Zadar 33 points
8. MZT Skopje 32 points
9. Union Olimpija 32 points
10. Igokea 32 points
11. Krka 32 points
12. Metalac 32 points
13. Sutjeska 31 points
14. Tajfun Šentjur 30 points
VICTORY!!!!
Not just a simple victory, but stomping them, humiliating them, tearing them to pieces. We drank their blood, we dug their graves and danced on them.
Before the game fans were gathering, the team was warming up. They were celebrated even at this point...
(photo: Twitter)
...and then Aleksandar Džikić appeared at the tunnel.
Then came the call of the players, one by one, as it always happens before every game. Pionir Hall wanted to explode even then.
Someone should tell the cameraman not to hold the machine this low, because the sight of Dejan Radonjić’s ass is just horror.
All those who didn’t want to believe their eyes to see Partizan’s former player Tarence Kinsey among Zvezda-players, well, they unfortunately have to believe their eyes.
It was some time in the beginning of January that Kinsey terminated his contract with his then-team Trabzonspor. News circulated that he was to return to Serbia. Partizan-fans were begging him on all social media sites to return to the team. Finally Kinsey chose the red team. His reason was that he would get more salary there.
Fans were preparing for his welcome with a personal banner, made just for him.
(photo: Twitter)
So did Nebojša Čović, president of KKCZ.
(photo: Twitter)
Čović has been undergoing judical process for a while. The charges against him are bribery and abuse of authority among others he committed in Kosovo. The Serbian Police’s Department for Organized Crime is investigating, while Partizan-fans gloat over it all. (Who wouldn’t?...)
The game started with a struggle. Zvezda made it to 0:8, while we just couldn’t score one single basket. The ball kept on rebounding from the ring. Finally Jones broke the silence (2:8).
I think this was the moment when Kinsey entered the court. I don’t remember when I heard such a boo and hiss last time. Fans were whistling, booing, cursing, making obscene gestures - it surely wasn’t Kinsey’s best moment. (He spoiled it all by accepting Čika Čoki’s money...)
We reduced the difference to 5:9. Marinković scored a fantastic 3-pointer.
Was it just me, or did Cvetković really have a "personal bodyguard" from Zvezda-players whenever he tried to put himself into action?
The standing grew to 5:14. Red guys very heavily focused on stolen balls, they were very fast and even more aggressive.
Okay, without the two main rats, Blažič and Kalinić they were far not that awful as they used to earlier. Even the inhumane-sized Humane Mountain Marjanović has moved to the US. Though they still have their speed and aggressiveness.
At this point the American trio sped up. Williams (7:14), Jones with two shots (11:16), Wilson (14:16). Then Murić came, saw and took us the lead with an amazing 3-pointer (17:16). Zvezda took it back with a basket, but Murić was unstoppable.
This game was Murić’s big time. He kept on scoring and had the most noble revenge for all those injuries he got on previous derbies.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
Murić got a bonus shot as well, we were leading to 20:16. Zvezda again took it back (20:21), but now Jones punished them: soon before the buzz he threw a 3-pointer. We finished the first quarter with 23:21.
In the second quarter Zvezda took back the lead again (23:24). It was going on for almost the whole time that the counter was switching between the two sides. The difference was always 1-2 points, the two teams kept on squeezing each other’s throat. The game itself mirrored it, it was a heavy, "grinding" match with a lot of fouls. Vitkovac took back the lead for us (25:24), then Zvezda took it back again (25:30). Players clashed, fell on the floor, while referees either whistled it as a foul or not.
(photo: aba-liga.com)
In the second quarter Zvezda kept on leading for the whole time, but always with just 2-3 points. We missed out a lot of chances, it has been long since we had so many rebounding balls. Most of the scores came from free throw on both sides. There was one period when it was a bit tough, reds made it to 35:44, but Marinković (38:44), Vitkovac (41:46) and Cvetković together reduced it to only 4 points, so we ended the first half with 44:48.
Milica Mandić was also there
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
Quite a number of football players were present, too, as well as almost the entire management of the football team. But if you don’t mind, I won’t post here Vazura’s ugly, disgusting, fat face.
We sped up for the second half. Murić reduced the difference (47:48), then Cvetković took back the lead.
Then again Murić (53:50). Jones, from free throw (55:52). Zvezda equalizes (55:55). Wilson won’t let it at that (57:55). Zvezda equalizes from free throw (57:57), again Wilson takes the lead us back (59:57). Reds again equalize, again from free throw (59:59), what is more, after a steal they take the lead (59:61). Now Williams equalizes (61:61). Zirbes plays the dying swan under Zvezda’s backboard, the referee whistles for offensive foul. Zirbes scores from the gift free throw with an evil grin (61:63). Wilson equalizes again (63:63). The referee whistles another foul for Partizan, another gift free throw for the other side (63:64). Again Wilson equalizes, from free throw (64:64).
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
Zvezda is back on the lead, after stealing the ball from us again (64:66). Wilson again equalizes, we even get a bonus shot. 67:66, we are leading at the end of the third quarter!
Jović is trying to stop Cvetković, with no success
(photo: aba-liga.com)
The final quarter was opened by Cvetković (69:66). Williams was fouled out, Zvezda started to be more and more aggerssive (69:68). Referees continuously whistled offensive foul on us, but they couldn’t suppress us, because the Aranitović-Vitkovac duo brought us 4 points (73:68). Partizan was playing full court pressure, the referee whistled it off as a foul (with a gift free throw for Zvezda, of course), but reds missed it out. No problem, they got another gift, now they could score (73:70). Then Cvetković threw a giant 3-pointer.
Zvezda got another gift free thow (why not... 76:71), then finally they made a field goal, after a long time (76:73), so did Jones (78:73). The good old referee again gave a gift free throw to the red striped team (78:75).
At 80:78 Miller was also fouled out (what a tantrum he made...). Jones was pushed down to the floor, the referee didn’t whistle. Jones had a noble revenge (82:78) and here there was only 1 minute and 17 seconds left. The referee whistles offensive foul on Vitkovac, free throw for Zvezda, again (82:79). Gudurić also gets fouled out. Free throw for Partizan. Murić scores (84:79).
Only 41 seconds are left. Time-out for Zvezda. Afterwards they score (84:81). Only 17 seconds left.
And then came Murić.
Only 3 seconds are left. Cvetković grabs the ball, runs up, but a red player blocks him with his last breath.
But it’s okay.
Everything’s okay.
WE WON!!!!
(photo: aba-liga.com)
(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
(photos: aba-liga.com)
But Zvezda wouldn’t be Zvezda if they hadn’t poked their nose into our joy. All we could see was an upheaval in the middle of the court, players pushing each other and (seemingly) fighting, then Aleksandar Džikić personally disarms Štimac, who seemingly lost control.
(photo: Twitter)
Then they eventually walked off the court and we could celebrate.
