In a duel full of twists and turns in the game of both teams, especially of much better quality, SC Derby recorded the biggest victory in the club's history, shocked the "older brother" Buducnost Voli 89:84 and remained in the playoffs of the Admiralbet ABA League.
"Students" started much better, taking the lead 8:2 with Fletcher Magee's three-pointer, but the current vice-champion of the regional competition retaliated and took the lead 9:8. By the end of the 1st quarter, the teams were equal, and in the 12th minute, Danilo Nikolić scored a three-pointer for a new turnaround (23:20) and the great satisfaction of Aleksandar Džikić, who raised his hands in the air.
The wing center of the "blues", whose long-range artillery the Serbian expert has been waiting for all season, since the unpleasant scenes at the training on September 8 and the emergency operation in Istanbul, soon scored another shot from behind the line 6,75 for plus seven (34:27).
And when it was expected that a significantly better and more experienced rival would make a more noticeable difference, the complete opposite happened - Andrej Žakelj's team answered with 12 tied baskets and turned the score to 39:34.
Buducnost, however, had a minimal advantage during the long break, so that SC Derby opened the second half with a 2:9 series for a record plus eight (0:51). However, the favorite regained the advantage by the end of the 43rd quarter (3:63).
Emir Hadžibegović equalized, and then Nikolić with the third triple and Denis Džero Sili increased the score to 70:63 and signaled the end of the excitement.
It wasn't like that - tenacious Jakel players scored nine points from two long attacks (a three-pointer by Fletcher Magee, a basket and an additional throw by Kenan Kamenjas after an unsportsmanlike foul by Seely, and then two plus one by Eric Neal after three offensive rebounds) for a turnaround at 79:76 with two minutes and 52 seconds remaining.
That was not all, because Hadžibegović hit a three-pointer for 82:76, Edin Atić retaliated in the same way, but Nil found a hole in the "blue" defense and with a layup for 84:79 practically removed all dilemmas.
After unused attacks on both sides, Dzikic took a time-out with 48 seconds left, Willie Reed quickly dunked, but Neal forced a foul and made both throws for 86:81.
Reed again reduced the score to three, Perry stole the ball, but only hit the first throw for 86:84, and the American center missed the chance for an offensive rebound. And Justin Edwards was halved from the penalty line for 87:84, so Budućnost had 9,9 seconds left to try to win overtime after a minute of rest.
Justin Kobs missed a three-pointer, the ball was grabbed by Edwards, and Maggi in the counterattack scored for the final score of 89:84 and the questioning of everyone in the Future, what went so wrong...
SC DERBI - BUDUĆNOST VOLI 89:84 (20:18, 22:25, 19:20, 28:21)
Podgorica - Hall "Morača". Spectators: 400. Judges: Koljenšić, Dragojević (Montenegro), Davidov (Serbia).
SC Derby: NIL 13 (6-6), MEGI 15 (1-1), Pavlićević 7 (2-1), SLAVKOVIĆ 4, HADŽIBEGOVIĆ 15 (2-2), Starovlah, Baćović, Z. Ivišić, T. IVIŠIĆ 5 (2-2), Edwards 13 (2-1), Kamenjaš 17 (2-1).
Buducnost Voli: KOBS 17 (6-5), ATIĆ 15 (2-2), Šehović, Micov, Barović, D. NIKOLIC 13 (1-0), Sili 9, Z. NIKOLIC 4, JAGODIC-KURIDŽA 4 (1- 0), Popović 2, Reed 14, Perry 6 (2-1).
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