MEGA MIS LOSES TO CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA AFTER A GREAT FIGHT IN LJUBLJANA

The Mega MIS basketball team once again fought until the last ounce of strength, holding their ground on a tough away game, but they couldn’t defeat Cedevita Olimpija on their home court, losing 82:93 (21:24, 25:22, 20:18, 16:29) at the Tivoli Hall. Coach Marko Barać’s team constantly kept close to the hosts in the first half. It was a tough battle, with the lead changing multiple times, and the game went into halftime with a tied score. Mega MIS was the better team in the third quarter and entered the final period with a two-point lead, but Cedevita Olimpija managed to regain the lead, then pull away in the final moments of the game to secure the victory. After nine rounds, Mega MIS has a 4-5 record, while the Slovenian team earned their third win (3-6).

The top scorer for Mega MIS was Kosta Kondić with 19 points, followed by Filip Jović with 18, but Jović had the highest efficiency rating (20), making him the most valuable player on Barać’s team. Andrija Jelavić added 16 points with six rebounds, while Mihailo Petrović recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists.

For Cedevita Olimpija, Devin Robinson led the way with 25 points, DJ Stewart added 23, and Jaka Blažič finished with 21 points.

The hosts had a slightly better start, leading in the opening minutes, but Mega did not let them pull away. After Jović’s free throw at three and a half minutes before the first break, Mega took the lead. There was a back-and-forth exchange of leads, and Cedevita Olimpija regained control to finish the first quarter ahead 24-21. At the beginning of the second quarter, Mega made a big push with nine points from Malovec, triggering a 12-0 run and completely turning the game around. However, the home team fought back and regained the lead, entering the final minutes of the first half with a new advantage. After a strong finish, the two teams went into the locker room tied at 46-46, thanks to a three-pointer by Petrović with three seconds left on the clock.

The third quarter was highlighted by Filip Jović, who made three “and-one” plays, scoring three times with a foul and converting the free throws, giving Mega MIS a six-point lead in the final two minutes of the period. Cedevita Olimpija managed to close the gap to four points, but could not reclaim the lead by the end of the third quarter, so Barać’s team entered the final period with a 66-64 lead. The home team turned things around at the start of the fourth quarter, but Mega responded with Kondić and Jelavić, showing they were ready to fight until the end. However, Cedevita Olimpija managed to pull away in the closing minutes, taking a nine-point lead with about two minutes left. Mega didn’t give up until the final buzzer, but ultimately suffered the defeat.

In the next round of the ABA League, Mega MIS will face Zadar on the road, with the game scheduled for Monday, December 2, at 19:00 in the Krešimir Ćosić Hall.

Mega MIS: Milenković, Kondić 19 (in 17), Jelavić 16 (6 reb), Marković 7 (7 reb), Kayil 2, Kroflič 1, Macura, Milijašević, Jović 18 (in 20), Tanasković, Petrović 10 (11 ast, in 16), Malovec 9 (6 reb)

Cedevita Olimpija: Stewart 23, Robinson 25, Jones 6, Radović 2, Nikolić 8, Glas, Blažič 21, Gnjidić, Beringer 6, Geben 2, Prepelič, Daneu

Photo: Cedevita Olimpija/Filip Barbalic