The projected third power of the region has shattered all predictions, and in a city where even Euroleague teams don't have much of a chance, against clubs with bigger budgets, teams that have long been seen in first and second place in the AdmiralBet ABA League...
The basketball players of Budućnost Voi, who according to many should have been content with the position right behind Partizan and Red Star, have shown on the courts of teams from the European elite how serious a team they have become, so when it comes to 1st place before the playoffs, the boys in blue and white will now be the first to ask themselves.
There are still many games to be played, he said. Andrej Zhakelj.
As expected, the coach of Buducnost wants to reduce the euphoria after the victories over Partizan and Red Star Belgrade, because the Montenegrin champion has not won anything yet. However, even though there are still ten rounds to go, the question of pole position before the playoffs is completely in the hands of his boys.
Three of the four toughest away games - Partizan, Red Star Belgrade and Cedevita-Olimpija - have already been resolved in their favor by the Podgorica team, and by the end of the league season away from "Morača", the toughest challenges should be Dubai and Spartak, the last team to defeat the "blue and white" this season in the regional competition.
Currently at the top, the team from Podgorica has the same performance as Partizan (18-2), while Red Star, with 16-4, seems to be written off from the fight for first place. So, perhaps the decisive match for the home field advantage in the playoffs, Andrej Žakelj's team will play on April 11th, when the Belgrade "black and white" arrive at "Morač".
In addition, Partizan faces another tough challenge just a week later, a new derby against Red Star Belgrade, which they will host. Also, just before the away game in Podgorica, the team Željko Obradović awaits the match of the last round of the regular season of the Euroleague, against Real Madrid in Belgrade.
When it comes to the remaining A-League matches for Partizan, the away duels against Dubai and Cedevita-Olimpija could also be complicated.
Who with whom until the end
FUTURE (18-2): Cedevita-Olimpija (D), Mega (G), Borac (D), Spartak (G), Cibona (G), SC Derbi (G), Partizan (D), Krka (G), FMP (D), Dubai (G).
PARTIZAN (18-2): Krka (G), FMP (D), Dubai (G), Mornar (D), Split (G), Igokea (D), Budućnost (G), C. zvezda (D), Cedevita-Olimpija (G), Mega (D).
C. STAR (16-4): Zadar (D), Cedevita-Olimpija (G), Mega (D), Borac (G), Spartak (D), Cibona (G), SC Derbi (D), Partizan (G), Krka (D), FMP (G).
There is still a lot left to do, but much will become clearer after April 11th, because a Buducnost triumph would practically be worth twice as much since the "blue and white" would be better than Partizan in their head-to-head duel.
First place at the end of the league season won't decide the winner, but since the 2018 title, Buducnost has been crucial in the playoffs, as teams with home-field advantage have almost always advanced in the playoffs. In the end, maybe that doesn't have to be the deciding factor for this Buducnost team, which has shown that it knows how to win even the toughest away games.
- We have been playing good basketball since the beginning, and in the last two months we have had two losses in both competitions, which is an indication that we can do it. The players believe in what we are doing and it brings results - Žakelj emphasized.
For the "blue and white" it is now most important to use the break due to the Cup to finally rest after the difficult rhythm of two matches a week, to recover. Juan Morgan (did the magnetic test yesterday), and then the key battles begin - in the ABA League and the Eurocup.
Since 2015, only Buducnost and Igokea have celebrated twice in Belgrade.
Buducnost has won Belgrade twice in just under two months, first defeating Partizan (97:90) in the Belgrade Arena, and two nights ago, defeating Red Star (96:89) in the "Pionir".
"The Blues thus repeated the feat from the 2020/21 season, when they also celebrated both times in the Serbian capital."
How difficult it is to achieve two triumphs against "eternal rivals" on their home court is best demonstrated by the fact that Buducnost has managed to do it twice in the last 10 years, while the rest of the ABA League has only managed to do it once - against Igokea in the 2015/16 season.
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