MEGA MIS UNLUCKY IN PODGORICA, MISSED VICTORY IN ANOTHER CLOSE FINISH

After two consecutive wins, the Mega MIS basketball team traveled to Podgorica for one of the toughest away games in the ABA League. In the fifth round of the competition, they put up a great fight against the favored opponent, but Budućnost VOLI ultimately secured the victory in another close finish – 73:71 (18:13, 23:18, 17:22, 15:18). After the initial 20 minutes, during which the host was the better team, Marko Barać’s chosen ones managed to catch up in the third quarter, and then took the lead in the fourth. A fierce battle followed in the last few minutes, with both teams going back and forth in the lead. Mega had a chance to win with one last attack. Nikola Topić took a long-distance shot in the final seconds, but the ball slipped out of the rim. With a bit of luck, Podgorica remained undefeated after five rounds (5-0), while Mega MIS suffered their third loss (2-3).

Uroš Plavšić had another excellent game, recording a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds for a PIR of 16. Andrija Jelavić added 12 points, along with five rebounds, while Nikola Đurišić scored 11. Omercan Ilyasoglu also reached double digits with 10 points, and he also dished five assists. Nikola Topić was on the verge of another double-double with nine points and assists for an index of 15.

Yoan Makoundou led the winning team with 18 points, while McKinley Wright also reached double digits with 13.

The game had a tough start, with a fierce battle for every possession. The host managed slightly better, but Mega didn’t allow them to pull away. Towards the end of the quarter, they responded to a 7:0 run of Buducnost with a 6:2 run led by Plavšić and Ilyasoglu. The first quarter ended with a score of 18:13 in favor of Podgorica team. At the start of the second quarter, Đurišić made an impressive dunk, narrowing the gap to just two points. However, another surge from the host extended their lead to 28:17 midway through the second period. They maintained a double-digit lead until halftime, with the score standing at 41:31.

After three minutes of play in the third quarter, Mega MIS launched a significant run, showing that they were ready to face the Montenegrin team head-on. Ilyasoglu and Miljenović sparked Barać’s team with three-pointers, and Jelavić brought the deficit down to just three points entering the final 12 minutes of the game. Budućnost managed to prevent a turnaround, resisting Mega’s push, and entered the final break with a score of 58:53. A fierce battle ensued until the end. Barać’s players didn’t give up, coming within one point at the start of the last four minutes. Then, Topić turned the game around with a drive to the basket with 160 seconds remaining. This was followed by a tense finish at the free-throw line. Mega had a shot for victory in the final seconds, but the ball didn’t go in after Topić’s long-distance attempt, and Budućnost secured the win.

Mega MIS: Paunović, Miljenović 8 (3 steals), Jelavić 12 (5 reb), Kobzystyi, Popović, Ilyasoglu 10 (5 ast), Đurišić 11, Kovačević, Janković 2, Plavšić 13 (10 reb, PIR 16), Topić 9 (9 ast, PIR 15), Malovec 6

Budućnost: Mihailović 4, Magee 9, Ross 9, Slavković, Makoundou 18, Grbović, Jones 2, Jagodić Kuridža, Williams 8, Wright 13, Popović 3, Paul 7

In the next round, Mega MIS will host Zadar, with the match scheduled for Sunday, November 5th, at the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall at 12:00 PM.

Photo: Budućnost VOLI/Filip Roganović