MEGA FOUGHT UNTIL THE END BUT PRIMORSKA CELEBRATED IN BELGRADE

Mega Bemax in a great atmosphere at the Hall of sports Ranko Zeravica lost to Koper Primorska with 73:79 (22:24, 19:22, 18:21, 14:12) in the 7th round of the ABA League. The players of Dejan Milojevic returned from the minus several times and did not allow the guests to resolve the match, but at crucial moments allowed a few offensive rebounds to the opponent, so the guests from Slovenia eventually recorded a victory.

The most efficient in the Mega Bemax ranks were Nikola Miskovic with 14 and Edin Atic with 12 points. The best in the Koper Primorska team were Stephen Holt with 19 points and Lance Harris with 15.

After 7 rounds of the ABA league, Mega Bemax has 1 win and 6 defeats while Koper Primorska have score 5-2. The next game of Mega Bemax will be played on Sunday, November 24, from 12, when in Hall of sports Ranko Zeravica they will welcome Cibona.

During the breaks between quarters, the audience in the hall had the opportunity try half-court shot for TV, a gift from Tehnomanija, but unfortunately, they were not precise.

The half-time viewers were entertained by the girls and guys from organisation “My Super Holiday”.

Dejan Milojevic started the match with Asceric, Atic, Miskovic, Simonovic and Stanic. Better start of the match for the guests from Slovenia who lead 2:12 after 3 minutes. However, Mega’s express response followed, Miskovic is excellent in defense and, on the other side, Asceric tied 8 points (two threes) for the 10-0 series and Primorska’s time-out. The visitors tied 5 points, but Miskovic scored a three and then Mesicek steals the ball and puts it in under the foul foul for a new lead of Mega 17:18. Tanaskovic did well under the basket on two occasions, but Holt hit at the last second from a difficult drive so guests led after 10 minutes of play, 22:24.

At the beginning of the second quarter Primorska tried to peel off with threes, but Tanaskovic responded with the same measure. Still, as Mega approaches the 2,3 point difference, the guests manage to hit a triple, and after a turnover of Mega and unsportsmanlike foul, Primorska leads 31:39. Tanaskovic and Mesicek score under the basket and then Simonovic and Stanic cut mini run of the guests for 41:46 at halftime.

The guests led for the first time with 10 points at the beginning of the third quarter, Simonovic and Miljenovic dropped minus to 4 points. In the following minutes, the difference ranged from 4 to 9 points, but each time Mega approached, the guests would hit a triple or basket from a difficult position, so the quarter ended with Holt lay-up for 59:67.

It seemed that Primorska finally resolved the match when they led by 12 points at the start of the last quarter, but followed by two threes by Atic and points of Stanic after the offensive rebound, however, the guests denied the attack of Mega. However, in the last two minutes teams entered with 73:77 result, Mega fails to reduce the difference to 1 possession, and the guests after 5 offensive, from the free throw line solved the question of the winner for the final 73:79.

Mega Bemax: Miskovic 14, Atic 12 (7 assists), Marjanovic, Asceric 8, Carapic, Miljenovic 7, Simonovic 11 (8 rebounds), Cerovina, Macura, Tanaskovic 10, Stanic 6, Mesicek 5.

Koper Primorska: Holt 19, Harris 15, Cakarun 8, Baric, Kosi, Lazic 3, Marinkovic 6, Hodzic 9, Jagodic-Kuridza 15, Dimec, Sisko 2, Voncina 2.

Photo: Mega Bemax/Ivica Veselinov