The basketball players of Budućnost Volija will play against the winner of the playoff duel between Lovćen and Pljevlja in the quarterfinals of the Montenegrin Cup, as decided in the draw in Bijelo Polje.
SC Derbija's rival will be Primorje, Mornar will play Sutjeska, while local team Jedinstvo will meet Kotor.
The draw for the final tournament of the Montenegrin Basketball Cup has brought together clubs competing in the ABA 1 League in the lower bracket, so Budućnost Voli and SC Derbi could meet in the semi-finals and thus repeat the final match in the same competition and at the same venue last year.
According to the basketball regulations, the ABA League participants (Budućnost Voli and SC Derbi) and the five first-place teams of the First A Montenegrin League after the 13th round (Primorje, Jedinstvo, Sutjeska, Mornar and Kotor) will compete for the trophy.
The last participant will be the winner of the play-off, in which the rivals on neutral ground will be the sixth-placed team in the First A League after the 13th round (Lovćen) and the leader in the table after the seventh round in the First B League (Pljevlja).
The play-off match will be played on February 11th in Nikšić.
Budućnost sports director Gavrilo Pajović said that the Podgorica club is not shying away from the role of favorites.
He emphasized that last year's tournament in Bijelo Polje, along with the first tournament in Ulcinj after independence, were the best organized so far.
"Last year in Bijelo Polje we were welcomed like at home and the atmosphere and quality of the tournament was exceptional. We are taking on the role of favorites, we are a little handicapped by the squad we will play in, because the number of foreigners is limited, but we will come with the best possible squad and we will do our best to defend the trophy," said Pajović.
General Manager of SC Derbija Đuro Ostojić said that he was glad that the tournament would be organized again in Bijelo Polje.
"Knowing the hospitality and the quality of the organization, we are sure that it will be the same, if not better, this year. The Cup is an uncertain competition, because only one game is played, but Buducnost certainly has the advantage as the highest quality team. However, I believe that all participants have a chance, and we will of course do our best," said Ostojić.
The tournament hosts, the Jedinstvo team, were represented at the draw by coach Nikola Korać.
"No game is easy, although we were lucky to avoid relegation. Kotor, however, is a serious team and needs to give their all in every match, especially since we will have a tough schedule before the tournament. We will do our best to present ourselves in the best light in front of the home crowd and take a step forward compared to the previous season," said Korać.
At the draw in the Nikoljac hall, where the final tournament will be played, the pairs were drawn by athletics coach and selector Osman Erović and young Jedinstvo basketball player Matija Bošković.
The men's tournament will begin on February 17th, with the quarterfinals, and after a one-day break, the semifinals will be played on the 19th and the final on the 20th.
In the women's basketball competition, Budućnost Bemaks and Primorje will play in the semifinals, and Podgorica and Sea Stars will play.
In the women's competition, according to the regulations, the four best-placed teams in the championship after the seventh round participate in the final tournament.
Three of this year's four participants played in the finals last year, and the Sea Stars team from Tivat is appearing for the first time.
The title is being defended by the women's basketball team Budućnost Bemaxa, who defeated Trebjesa from Nikšić 95:40 in the final last year at the Nikoljac hall.
Primorje representative Miodrag Babović said that Budućnost Bemax is the favorite this year as well.
"I am honored that Primorje is a participant in the final tournament this year, because the Cup is a very important competition for us. Primorje is a serious club with good results, especially in the younger categories. We know who Budućnost is, they are certainly the favorites, but we will fight and we will be satisfied with any outcome," said Babović after the draw.
The debutant in the final tournament, the Sea Stars team, was represented in the draw by player Nastasja Pajović.
"As this is our first year participating in the final tournament, it is an honor and pleasure for us to be in Bijelo Polje. We are a young club, we have two dominant players from the USA and the rest of us work and train hard and will do our best," Pajović emphasized.
The semifinal pairs were drawn by successful athletes from Bijelo Polje, athlete Anđela Drobnjak and judoka Katarina Milićević.
The final tournament in the women's competition will begin on February 18th, when both semi-finals will be played, at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM.
The day after is the title game.
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