MEGA HAS FIGHTED UNTIL THE END, CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA WITH THREES TO THE WIN IN BELGRADE

Mega Soccerbet got awry in the last quarter of the derby of the round, Cedevita Olimpija took points from Belgrade!

Mega lost to Cedevita Olimpija in the derby match of the 13th round of the ABA League with 88:93 (29:28, 20:20, 21:24, 18:21). In the match that was played without the presence of the audience in the Hall of sports Ranko Zeravica, coach Vladimir Jovanovic’s team played at a high level for most of the match, but the guests from Slovenia reached an important victory in the fight for the ABA League Playoffs thanks to a great shot for three points (14 out of 27).

The best in the ranks of Mega were Marko Simonovic and Filip Petrusev with 21 points each. In the Cedevita Olimpija team, former Mega’s player Kendrick Perry stood out the most with also 21 points scored.

After 13 rounds of the ABA league, Mega Soccerbet has nine wins and four defeats, while Cedevita Olimpija has a score of 7-3 with three matches less. In the next round, Mega will meet Igokea on Sunday, January 10, at 12 o’clock, and before that, they will play a humanitarian match with Olympiacos at the invitation of the Greek giant in Piraeus on Monday, January 4, at 19:00 Serbian time.

Before the start of the match, to former Mega’s player Kendrick Perry was given a special gift.

Vladimir Jovanovic started the match with this starting five: Tepic, Smith, Cazalon, Simonovic, Petrusev. Two triples of guests at the start and one Cazalon for the result 5:10 after three minutes of play. Petrusev is doing great in the paint, but the Slovenian team reaches plus 8, 7:15 with a new triple and points from the counter. After Jovanovic’s time-out, Cerovina scored aftef an offensive rebound, and then Smith was precise from the free throw line. The guests continue to score from a distance and with their fourth three-pointer they reach plus 10. Mega played a good defense and with a points of Simonovic and Petrusev made a series of 11:0 for a lead of 23:22. Cedevita Olimpija unrealistically shoots for three points (6 out of 7), but Momirov with triple kept Mega in thelead with 29:28 after the first quarter.

A better start for the second quarter for the guests who continue to shoot great and with two new threes manage to take the lead with 31:40. This was followed by a period of excellent play by Mega and various plays in the attack, where after an excellent counter-attack, Novak’s assist for alley-oop dunk of Simonovic followed, sith which Mega approached to 38:40. Mega’s players are playing with a lot of energy on the floor, with excellent roles by Tepic and Smith, and with a three pointer by Petrusev, Mega go to the halftime with a 49:48 advantage.

The guests from Slovenia took the lead with a plus six at the beginning of the third quarter, but Momirov scored twice from the paint after an offensive, and then Petrusev hit the third three for the lead of Mega 59:58. The game is played points for points for the next few minutes, with a triple by Cazalon Mega leads 68:65, but Cedevita Olimpija manages to punish Mega’s turnovers and takes the lead with a series of 0:7, and then in the last second Smith breaks through the guests’ defense for 70:72 at the end of the third quarter.

A great fight in the last quarter on both sides of the field, Mega managed to get close to two points, but Cedevita Olimpija managed to defend the advantage with difficult drives and threes, so in the last five minutes of the game Mega entered with minus seven, 77:84. Simonovic corrects his miss, but then Perry at the end of the attack hits a key three-pointer from the eight-meter. The guests went to plus 11, and in the finish of the match, Tepic and Petrusev manage to reduce the difference by the final 88:93.

Mega Soccerbet: Miskovic, Smith 13, Petrusev 21 (3-5 for three points), Tepic 9, Momirov 10, Novak (7 assists), Simonovic 21 (8 rebounds), Jovicic, Cerovina 4, Matkovic 2, Cazalon 8, Langovic.

Cedevita Olimpija: Radovic, Perry 21, Hopkins 7, Muric 3, Ukic, Blazic 17, Brown 16, Hodzic, Jones 15, Dimec 4, Marinkovic, Rupnik 10.

Photo: Mega Soccerbet/Ivica Veselinov