WITH A CONVINCING TRIUMPH AGAINST METALAC IN VALJEVO, MEGA MIS SECURED THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE SERBIA SUPER LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

Mega MIS basketball players defeated Metalac in Valjevo in the last round of the group stage of the Super League of Serbia and thus secured a place in the semi-finals of the playoffs as the first-placed in Group B, 78:90 (28:25, 14:29, 9:24, 27: 12). After even battle at the beginning, the home team managed to gain a first significant advantage in the middle of the opening period, but Marko Barać’s team started to establish control in the finish and came within three points. Where they left off in the first quarter, Mega players continued in the second quarter, quickly reaching a turnaround and a double-digit surplus. After returning from the long break, Mega MIS continued to increase the lead, allowing the rival only nine points in the third quarter and, after 30 minutes of play, gained a significant 27-point advantage. Metalac only managed to soften the defeat in the last part.

Mega MIS thus ended the fight in Group B with a 5-1 score and, as a first-placed advanced to the playoffs, as it has an advantage in head-to-head matches with the Borac Mozzart team, which before the last round match against Vojvodina has four triumphs and one defeat. Novi Sad team currently has a record of 2-3, while Metalac ended the competition in the Superliga without a win (0-6).

The most effective player in the winning team was Malcolm Cazalon with 21 points, but the most valuable player of Mega MIS in Valjevo was Danko Branković with 18 points and nine rebounds for a PIR of 26. Aleksa Uskoković recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists (index 22), while Matej Rudan scored 11 points and nine boards, and Filip Jović reached double figures with 13 points.

Marko Šinik scored 18 points for the hosts, Ibrahim Durmo added one less, while Uroš Luković scored a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

In the middle of the opening quarter, the Metalac players took a 15:9 lead and reached a nine-point advantage with three minutes to go, but Mega managed to reduce the deficit to three points by the first break. Cazalon and Rudan led the great rush of Barać’s team in the second period, which led to a turnaround, so Mega reached a double-digit lead, and after the first half, the scoreboard read 42:54.

Mega’s advantage continued to grow after returning from the break, and after Jović’s layup with a little more than three minutes until the last interval, it amounted to 21 points. Barać’s players didn’t stop there, so they entered the decisive quarter with a big 51:78 lead. In the last quarter, the home team managed to cut the deficit in half but not to threaten the triumph of Marko Barać’s team, which maintained a double-digit surplus and achieved a victory that ensured a place in the semi-finals of the Serbian Super League playoffs.

Mega MIS: Branković 18 (9 rb, 26 PIR), Rudan 11 (9 rb), Uskoković 10 (11 as, 22 PIR), Cazalon 21, Cerovina 4, Paunović, Kovačević 5, Marković 2, Terzić 3, Jović 13, Mušicki 3

Metalac: Šinik 18, Šešlija 6, Durmo 17, Janković, Luković 16, Bajić 9, Grušanović 9, Simanić 2, Stefanović, Ivković 1, Teofilović

Photo: Mega MIS