When Jamari Smith hit a three-pointer at the Belgrade Arena with one minute and 51 seconds left in the game, Mornar managed to tie the game against Partizan (81:81) and come close to a sensation in the 24th round of the AdmiralBet ABA League.
But, by the last minute, the "black and whites" tied the score at five points, took an 86:81 lead and prevented the Barani from creating the biggest surprise of this season in the regional competition, perhaps the biggest in the last few years.
Partizan celebrated tonight with a score of 89:84, tying them for first place with Buducnost (21-3), while Mornar remained in last place with only one win.
This was a game in which Barani had nothing to lose. On the other hand, Željko Obradović's team entered the match after a convincing defeat to Efes in the Euroleague, and they did not impress tonight either.
Mornar took a 2:0 lead at the start with Runjić's points, then Partizan went 7:2, and after Majka's three-pointer, they reached a double-digit lead - 22:11.
Partizan failed to break away, which Mihailo Pavićević's team took advantage of and after a three-pointer by Pember, they came close to 30:27. Partizan responded with six consecutive points (36:27), but by the time Mornar went into halftime, they were down to minus four - 40:36.
Partizan had a nine-point lead during the third quarter, Mornar constantly came back, and after Pember's points, at the beginning of the last quarter, they came close to 60:59.
Then Partizan managed to go seven points ahead twice, but Srđa Bulatović brought Barani back into the game with two three-pointers, who came close to 74:72 with less than five minutes left in the match and had an attack to tie or turn the game around, which they did not use.
Then, four minutes before the end, Tomason hit a three-pointer for 76:75, Pokuševski responded on the other end (79:75), and then another three-pointer was hit by the brilliant Bulatović (79:78).
And when Smith tied the score (81:81), Mornar had a chance to make a splash. However, Partizan tied the score with five points and eventually won.
Mornar played its best game of the season tonight, shooting excellently from three (16/33), and the most efficient was Bulatović with 17 points (5/6 from three). Smith had 14, Thomason and Pember 13 each.
Koprivica was the most efficient player for Partizan with 22 points.
PARTISAN - SAILOR 89:84 (26:18, 14:18, 20:18, 29:30)
Beograd - "Belgrade Arena". Attendance: 2.247. Referees: Nikšić (BiH), Mustapić (Croatia) and Popović (Montenegro).
Partizan: DAVIS 2, LUNDBERG 13, K. Jones 3 (2-1), NILIKINA 14 (9-8), Washington, Koprivica 22 (10-8), Nakić 5 (3-3), Bošnjaković, MARINKOVIĆ 10, Pokuševski 9 (2-2), Lakić, MAJK 11.
Sailor: Spičanović, Kovačević, ROGIC 9, TOMASON 13 (1-1), RUNJIC 8, BULJEVIC 9 (2-1), SMIT 14 (3-3), Pember 13 (2-2), Komnenović, Bulatović 17, Peković 1 (2-1), Radetic.
Bonus video:
