MEGA MIS SAVES THE BEST FOR LAST, TOPPLING CEDEVITA OLIMPIJA WITH A SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE IN THE FINAL GAME OF 2023

Mega MIS basketball players kicked off the second phase of the league part of the ABA League by hosting one of the competition’s leaders, Cedevita Olimpija. With an outstanding performance, they secured another significant victory, concluding the calendar year 2023 in a perfect manner – 97:86 (14:23, 24:18, 27:21, 32:24). Marko Barać’s team gradually increased their intensity, trailing after the first 10 minutes. They started catching up in the second quarter and completely turned the game around in the third. However, they saved the best for last. Excelling on both ends of the court, they once again established a double-digit lead, took full control, and broke the resistance of their opponents. In the 14th round, they secured their seventh triumph (7-7) and handed Ljubljana team only their fourth loss of the season (10-4).

Stefan Miljenović shone again, raising the bar compared to his performance against Igokea. After scoring 24 points and grabbing six rebounds with a PIR of 30 in the previous round, he concluded the encounter with Cedevita Olimpija with 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals, resulting in one of the highest PIRs in Mega’s ABA League history – 43.

He was superbly supported by Nikola Đurišić with 18 points and seven assists (PIR 21), as well as Uroš Plavšić with 15 points and seven rebounds. Petar Kovačević also reached double figures with 10 points. Newcomer Lovro Gnjidić had a diverse debut, recording four points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

Slovenian side was led by Justin Cobbs with 22 points, Jaka Blažič added 18, and former Mega player Karlo Matković finished the game with 15 points. DJ Stewart scored 11, and Gregor Glas contributed with 10.

The anticipation for this game’s excitement was evident from the start, with effective dunks seen on both sides in the first few minutes. The guests managed slightly better, taking a lead of 6:13, where Gnjidić began showcasing his capabilities for Mega with two steals and two assists within a minute. However, Cedevita Olimpija maintained the lead, finishing the first quarter with a nine-point advantage (14:23). Midway through the second quarter, Mega started catching up, with Plavšić leading the way. Đurišić, Miljenović, and Jović also stepped up, reducing the halftime deficit to 38:41.

Building on their second-quarter performance, Barać’s team continued their momentum in the third quarter, turning the game around with good moves from Miljenović and Đurišić. Plavšić then scored five consecutive points, and after Jelavić’s layup, the score stood at 56:46. Although Ljubljana managed to level the score (60:60), Mega prevented them from regaining the lead. Heading into the last 10 minutes with a 65:62 advantage after Miljenović’s three-pointer, Mega faced a setback in the middle of the third quarter as Oleksandr Kobzystyi had to leave the court due to a shoulder injury. The decisive quarter began with a spectacular dunk from Jović, providing the necessary energy for his team to thwart another opponent’s surge. Miljenović then took matters into his own hands, scoring nine consecutive points and connecting Kovačević with an easy layup for 84:74 with just over three minutes remaining. Mega broke the opponent’s resistance in that moment and in the following minutes, intelligently retained possession, played long possessions, and with dedicated defense, preserved their lead. They comfortably concluded the task, securing another highly valuable victory.

In the next, 15th round of the ABA League, Mega MIS will visit the Borac Mozzart team in Čačak. The first encounter of Marko Barać’s team in the 2024 is scheduled for January 8, at 18:00.

Mega MIS: Miljenović 28 (8 rebounds, 5 assists, PIR 43), Jelavić 6, Kobzystyi, Popović, Milutinović, Ilyasoglu 3, Đurišić 18 (7 assists, PIR 21), Kovačević 10, Gnjidić 4, Plavšić 15 (7 rebounds), Jović 8, Malovec 5

Cedevita Olimpija: Stewart 11, Radović 2, Cobbs 22, Glas 10, Blažič 18, Kump, Matković 15, Horvat, Jones 8, Shashkov

Photo: Mega MIS/Ivica Veselinov