MEGA MIS BREAKS FMP’S RESISTANCE IN THE FINAL QUARTER AND TRIUMPHS IN ŽELEZNIK

Mega MIS basketball players secured their first victory in the new ABA League season, as they outperformed FMP Soccerbet with a score of 73:83 (21:19, 13:17, 20:19, 19:28) in a game held in Železnik. There was fierce competition right from the first minute, and Marko Barać’s chosen ones broke the opponent’s resistance with a 13:4 run in the final quarter. This gave them a double-digit lead with three minutes left in the game, ultimately earning them a well-deserved triumph. After three rounds of regional competition, Mega now stands at 1-2, just like FMP.

Nikola Topić led the winning team with a double-double of 21 points and 10 assists, achieving a PIR of 23. He was closely followed by the returnee to Mega, Nikola Janković, with 16 points (PIR 17), and Uroš Plavšić, who notched up 15 points and grabbed six rebounds (PIR 20). Stefan Miljenović also delivered a versatile performance, concluding the match with 10 points, five steals, and four assists, resulting in a PIR of 16.

For FMP, the most effective player was Aleksa Stepanović with 14 points, followed closely by Ugo Beson with one point less. Jordan Walker and Luka Ašćerić each contributed 10 points.

From the start, it was evident that the match would be close and tense. The teams exchanged baskets, playing tough and competitive basketball on both ends of the court. Janković stood out with several impressive moves after entering the game from the bench, propelling the Mega team to their first lead at the end of the first quarter. However, the home team managed to level the score, and the first half ended at 21:19 in favor of FMP. FMP held the lead until the final minutes of the first half when Janković and Miljenović orchestrated a new turnaround, giving Barać’s team a 34:36 lead in Železnik after 20 minutes.

The opening minutes of the third quarter were marked by Plavšić, for whom the home team had no answer in the paint. He was closely followed by Miljenović, but the battle remained intense, with teams exchanging leads. After Malovec’s three-pointer at the end of the quarter, Mega MIS headed into the final break with a narrow advantage (54:55). Following Topić’s and Ilyasoglu’s impressive plays, Barać’s team pulled ahead by six points at the beginning of the decisive period. FMP briefly responded and equalized, but Jelavić and Plavšić restored the lead. After Topić’s three-pointer, the lead extended to a double-digit margin (77:67), making it clear with three minutes remaining that Mega was on the verge of victory. They maintained their lead without major issues and secured their first win of the season.

Mega MIS: Paunović, Miljenović 10 (5 steals, 4 assists, 16 PIR), Jelavić 5 (7 rebounds), Milutinović, Ilyasoglu 7, Đurišić, Kovačević 2, Janković 16 (17 PIR), Plavšić 15 (6 rebounds, 20 PIR), Topić 21 (10 assists, 23 PIR), Malovec 7.

FMP: Watson 8, Živanović 3, Subotić, Pavićević 4, Stepanović 14, Walker 10, Šaranović 6, Simović 5, Matović, Ašćerić 10, Luke, Besson 13.

In the fourth round of the ABA League, Mega MIS will host Partizan Mozzart Bet, with the match scheduled for Monday, October 23rd, starting at 8:00 PM in the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall.

Photo: Mega MIS/Ivica Veselinov