The start of the AdmiralBet ABA League semi-finals is approaching - the battle for the final begins on Monday, and the basketball players of Budućnost Voli welcome Red Star in the first match (21).
The "blues" have had a great season so far in the regional competition, winning first place in the regular season and eliminating Mega in the quarterfinals.
One of the players who has marked the season for Buducnost so far is Rashid Sulajmon. He arrived from Wolves last summer and lived up to expectations, averaging 12,5 points and 3,1 assists in the regional competition, for an average utility index of 11,8.
Sulajmon is expected to be in good spirits on Monday, to be one of the leaders of Budućnost.
"I expect a very tough, competitive game, both physically and competitively. Buducnost and Crvena zvezda are two historic clubs in Montenegro and Serbia. I know there is no great love between the two teams, and I expect a great battle, with great intensity and a great atmosphere. This is the kind of game we want to play, fighting for the trophy. Everything is at stake, we have been preparing for this moment all season," said Buducnost basketball player Rashid Sulajmon ahead of the match.
Buducnost lost to the "red and whites" in Podgorica in the regular season (75:73), but got revenge in Belgrade, when they won 96:89 after overtime.
"Both we and they won once away in the regular season. This shows that the teams are evenly matched, that inspiration decides who has more focus to better implement the plan. The fans will be a big help in home matches, but I think the quality of the team that manages to better implement the game plan and has more focus during the match will decide," believes Sulajmon.
Buducnost played their last match in the ABA League on May 16th, away to Megi. The semi-final with Red Star Belgrade begins ten days later, and nowhere is there such a gap between playoff games as in the ABA League.
"I prefer that the playoffs not be stopped so much, when we are already in the season and when the games are being played. Maybe the reasons are beyond anyone's control. We will have to deal with those 10 days of break, no excuses. We have time to prepare the game plan even better, to rest and recover. So, it can have both good and bad sides, but in the end we have to face it," concluded Sulajmon.
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