The first attempt to break the deadlock in Belgrade was unsuccessful, as the Buducnost Voli basketball team was defeated by Partizan on Tuesday (83:67), so after three matches of the AdmiralBet ABA League final series, they are losing 2:1 in the series.
This means that the "blues" have to go all or nothing tonight (20) at the same venue - a win sends the series back to Podgorica for a deciding match, and a loss means the end of the season in the regional competition.
After losing the first match of the final series, the "blues" managed to recover and equalize in the second match, before leaving for Belgrade. Now Andrej Žakelj's team is chasing the deficit again, but this time they have no room for error.
The third game showed how difficult it is to break the deadlock in Belgrade, in front of 20 spectators, against a strong, Euroleague team, Partizan, protected on their home court in every possible way.
He also showed how much the loss of focus and the unreal defeat in the last 50 seconds of the regular time of the first game in Podgorica, when they had an eight-point lead, cost the "blues".
That's why the Podgorica team has one single task in the fourth match - to give everything they have to try to bring the series back to Podgorica. They have nothing else left, and nothing more is expected...
"We have to give our all - in terms of energy, focus, tactics... I expect a reaction from the players, I think we played below our level in attack two days ago. It wasn't our day, but I'm sure it will be better in the fourth game," said Budućnost coach Andrej Žakelj.
The coach of the "blues" said that the team has to correct some things from the first match if it wants to break through.
"We have to play with confidence, we have nothing to lose, we can only win. To fix some things in defense and to be faster in attack, to play as a team, to fight for every ball to bring the series back to Podgorica," said the Slovenian coach.
Rashid Sulaiman also promises to fight.
"The series is not over yet, we have to make some adjustments, and then come back and fight. I expect us to give our all, we fought for this all season. We are proud and have something to play for - for the organization, the city, the country. We are ready, motivated, I expect us to go out on the field to fight and give our all," said the Buducnost guard.
The future tonight, both defensively and offensively, must be up to par.
"Defense from the start, to be aggressive, to block the basket, because, during the rebound, they took some balls from us, which we did not allow in Podgorica in the second game, which made the difference," said Nikola Tanasković.
Partizan has the match ball and a chance to win a second title in the regional competition, but also a second trophy in all competitions since the return of the legendary Željko Obradović. The club announced yesterday that all tickets are sold out, and that the full "Belgrade Arena" will welcome Buducnost.
"We know that this game can bring the title, but the players need to relax and come out with the same energy as in the third match. We have clear ideas about what we want to do in defense and what in attack. It won't be easy, because the Buducnost team has quality, which they have shown throughout the season. We have to forget everything that happened in the third match and turn to what awaits us," said Obradović in the match announcement, who will not be able to count on Nilikin tonight, who is injured.
The trophy coach once again appealed to the fans to create a nice and sporting atmosphere.
"We can show that the ABA League final can really be fair and sporting and in the best possible order, as it was in the first two games in Podgorica and in the third, in the series here in Belgrade," said Obradović.
Carlick Jones also spoke with great respect about the Future.
"The future is a good and fighting team. They have some injuries and they are struggling with that, that has to be respected. After our first win, they showed a reaction, so we expect them to respond, but we have to try to repeat the third match. We know what we have been fighting for all year, but we need another win, and we don't want to go back to their field," said the South Sudan international.
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