After one season in the second tier, Krka made an express return to the Admiralbet ABA league - the team from Novi Mesto tonight in the final of the NLB ABA2 league in Domžale, after great drama and extra time, defeated the home team Helios (83:82, 78:78 after 40 minutes ) and deservedly won this competition.
Tonight, Krka won the ABA2 league for the second time in history, since it also celebrated in the first edition of this competition, in 2018 in Čačak, when it was better than Primorska in the final.
On the other hand, Helios played excellently throughout the season, had 12 wins and one loss (against Podgorica) in the regular season, but failed to take advantage of the home field, so in the play-off against Borac from Čačany, they will have another chance to reach the elite. In the play-off, two wins are played, and the Serbian team has the home field advantage. The team from Domžal last played in the ABA League in the 2011/2012 season, and it would not be undeserved if they celebrated tonight.
Both teams entered the match tight. Helios led 4:0, and Krka scored its first points after four minutes (laying by Stipčević). In that period, Dejan Jakara's team had a maximum advantage of four points, and Krka played according to the notes of Stipčević.
The second quarter was played in series. First, Stipčević and Vucić initiated a 9:0 run, so Krka took a 23:19 lead, and then Helios responded, scoring eight points and taking a 35:34 lead after Mahkovic's triple.
After Mahkovic's three-pointer, 97 seconds remained until the end of the half, and Helios failed to score any more points, so Krka went to the break with a three-point lead - 38:35.
After Oman's triple, at the beginning of the third quarter, Helios led 41:40, but Krka then controlled the situation on the field and at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter played on the wings of Škedelj.
After Cerkvenik's free throws in the last period, the team from Novi Mesto gained a double-digit lead for the first time (72:62), but failed to bring the match to a peaceful end. With three minutes to go, after a dunk by Mahkovic, Helios came back and got to minus one - 72:71. Then the Krka players hit four free throws in a row, leading 76:71, and then followed a 7:0 run by Helios, who took the lead 78:76 after Buljević's throw.
Then Krka started the last attack, Stipčević first missed a three-pointer, and then after Vucić's offensive jump, he was fouled, so he hit both shots and the match went into overtime.
In the additional five minutes, basket after basket was played, Krka led 83:82, Helios had an attack for the title, and Luk missed a layup and became the tragic of tonight's final.
Stipčević led Krka to victory with 20 points. Špan scored 19, Škedelj 18, with 10 rebounds, and Vucić 14, with 12 rebounds. Montenegrin representative Radosav Spasojević finished the match with four points and five rebounds.
At Helios, Buljević was the most effective with 20 points. Mahkovic scored one less point, and Bačvić scored 11 points.
Bonus video:
