No surrender for the Future

The day after the first game of the AdmiralBet ABA League final series, the Buducnost Voli basketball players were probably wondering more about how they lost the game they won than they were thinking about how to properly prepare for the second one, which is scheduled for tonight at 21 p.m.

Partizan is 1:0 up in the series, they made a break at the start and did it in an unreal way - they turned a loss into a win, and the "blues" realized in a cruel way that in basketball there is no advantage that will definitely lead to victory if the idea and clear plan for how to end the match suddenly disappear from the game. That's exactly how the host looked on Thursday night in the last minute of the regular period and in overtime - chaotic.

It is clear that it is Budućnost that brought the "black and whites" back to life and allowed them to take the first step towards the title in the "M:tel Morača Hall", and now the team Andrej Žakelj He has to get himself back on track - to find a way to win and go to Belgrade with a 1:1 draw, where he has already won twice in the regular season this season (Partizan and Red Star).

In those very bad six minutes of basketball, Buducnost "undone" everything it had built in the previous 39, a reaction is expected with the hope that McKinley Wright in better condition than at the start when he was not a factor due to an ankle injury he sustained in Dubai a little over a month ago, and recovered during the landing of the winning shot in the semi-final showdown against Red Star.

ŽAKELJ: LET'S RESET

There are many "ifs" before the second match of the final, but Buducnost has repeatedly shown the quality and character to deal with problems this season...

- We need to rest and reset ourselves psychologically, because the match was difficult, and we know how it ended. We need to analyze, but it's clear that we made too many mistakes. But that's in the past, we need to keep our heads up, stay a team and correct some things compared to the first game - said Žakelj.

The host is under pressure...

- We have no choice but to throw ourselves for every ball, to take every rebound and that's the only way we can count on a positive outcome - the Slovenian is clear.

TRADITION SAYS - NEVER EVEN MORE THAN FOR THE "BLUE"

Tradition is always especially important in the ABA League playoffs, and it is not in Buducnost's favor now, as the visiting team has not opened the final with a triumph since the 2017/18 season. Back then, Buducnost demolished Red Star in the "Aleksandar Nikolić" hall before finishing the job in "Morača" and winning their only ring in the regional competition so far.

It's clear what a difference home court makes, but the "blues" allowed themselves an incredible outcome on Thursday and now have to write a new page of history in the ABA League if they want another trophy.

- We have another tough and competitive match ahead of us. We have to be better in the finals than we were in the first match and make every shot difficult for the opponent. Partizan hit some shots at the end, but we simply have to be better in the attack in the finals. It is also necessary to reduce turnovers and make as few mistakes as possible - Ferrell emphasized.

Obradović: Of course it's not over.

Partizan basketball players, led by Sterling Brown and Tyreke Jones, who combined to score 54 of the "black and whites'" 94 points, have taken the lead in the final series and no matter how tonight's game ends, they will have a chance to secure a ring in Belgrade.

Željko Obradović, however, doesn't even want to think it's over:

- Buducnost had the game won. We were lucky to win, but this is just the beginning of the series - there is still a lot ahead of us. The first game is important, it boosts morale, but that's where everything begins and ends. Buducnost deserves all the respect, because we know that they played without probably their best player - said Obradović.

He also reflected on the finish of the regular season when Budućnost brought Partizan back into the match.

- I insisted that in the event of a possession, we shoot for three points, that we attack and that we look for an open player. It turned out differently. A guy who is a fantastic fighter (Kenan Kamenjaš) missed two shots, which people will probably talk about. So that I don't talk about the opposing players, I say the same to my own players - there are two penalties at the beginning and end of the game. They are of the same importance - Obradović emphasized.