Buducnost received praise before the match with Partizan from Gioan Peñaroja regarding his three-point shooting, and then the coach of the "black and whites" settled the derby with the "blue and whites'" strongest weapon.
The Montenegrin champion was unrecognizable, practically watching the home team's shooting practice, which fired 34 three-pointers and hit 16 - enough for a drama-free victory; Partizan - Budućnost 98:82.
It was the first match of the Top 8 phase of the Admiralbet ABA League, after which it is clear that Andrej Žakelj's team will face a tough fight for a better position than fourth before the playoffs.
The "Blue and Whites" are now at 13-4, the same as Red Star, which is better than each other - Partizan is at 16-1, and Dubai is 15-1.
When Partizan opened the match with a 6:0 lead with three-pointers from Sterling Brown and Nick Calathes, and Buducnost reduced the lead to 6:5 through Nikola Tanaskovic and Jogi Ferrell, it was as if it was a sign of the direction the first half would take.
Several times during the first 20 minutes, Buducnost came close, but always allowed their rival to maintain the lead.
Already during that period, Andrej Žakelj's team allowed their rival many open shots outside 6,75 (16-8), and also had poor rebounding (14-20), so Partizan even reached a double-digit lead (48:36).
The future somehow went into the break with a bearable minus eight (48:40), a real reaction was expected in the second half, but everything was even worse.
Too weak and too slow on defense, and Partizan continued to pour in, so at one point his three-point shot was 23-15.
It was the 15th three-pointer that was hit by young Uroš Mijailović, followed by a dunk by Bruno Fernando, and the scoreboard in the Belgrade Arena showed a huge 79:55.
Partizan continued to shoot after that, but eventually missed, spoiling their percentages, and Buducnost used everything to at least show something in the last quarter, and after Aksel Butej's three-pointer, they came close to 85:75.
And that was all... If they want a bigger story in the ABA League, Buducnost will obviously have to do much more in the future.
PARTISAN - THE FUTURE LOVES 98:82 (25:19, 23:21, 33:22, 17:20)
Belgrade - "Belgrade Arena". Attendance: 5.302. Referees: Belošević (Serbia), Koljenšić (Montenegro), Gracin (Croatia).
Partizan: Washington 14, Bošnjaković, Mijailović 3, Pokuševski 5, Braun 14, Radanov 13, Bonga 13, Lakić 6, Džekiri 9, Fernando 12, Kalates 9, Danilović.
Buducnost Voli: Sulajmon 14, Mays 8, Thompson, Slavkovic, Tanaskovic 9, Ferrell 13, Jovanovic, Morgan 9, Butsijel 6, Nikolic 2, Kovlijar 7, Butej 14.
End - Buducnost had no chance this time against Partizan (98:82).
Partizan once again went up 14, but Ferrell cut it to 14 with a three-pointer. 91:80With a minute and a half to go, the match seems to have been lost much earlier.
There is also a three-pointer from Bute - Buducnost is at minus 10 (85:75). There are just over four minutes left.
Finally, the Buducnost series, maybe too late - through Sulajmon, Kovlijar and Butej, the Podgorica team came close to minus 11 (83:72).
Finally, Partizan missed something, and Butej made a three-pointer to reduce the lead to 81:65.
The end of the third quarter, perhaps the worst 30 minutes for Buducnost this season - Partizan leads 81:62.
Just when they reduced their rivals' big lead to 68:53 with two successful attacks, Partizan hit three more three-pointers (15 in total) and are now on a huge lead. 77:55.
Unrecognizable Future tonight.
And Braun hits a three-pointer once again (Partizan's 11th) - Buducnost is sinking deeper and deeper (63:46).
Partizan scores two new three-pointers in two consecutive attacks, and it doesn't help that Mace was accurate from outside the line 6,75 - Buducnost is at minus 14 (60:46).
Žakelj is angry and asks for a time-out.
Ferrell responded with another three (52:43).
Džekiri opens the second half with four consecutive points, and Partizan goes up 12 again (52:40).
The first half is over - as the Buducnost basketball players played, they were even at a good minus eight (48:40).
The blue and whites are weaker in three-point shooting than Partizan (14-4 compared to 16-8), and they also rebound less well (14-20).
Tanaskovic and Sulajmon each scored nine points for the Montenegrin team, while Kalates and Radanov scored the same number of points on the other side.
Too many missed penalties and too many shots allowed to the rival for three points (Partizan has made eight so far), and the unsportsmanlike Sulajmona has arrived, so it is no surprise that Budućnost is currently at a record minus 12 (48:36).
Buducnost is back again - Tanaskovic and Sulajmon hit one free throw each, while Butsiel scored two points for minus five (40:35).
Another idling for Buducnost, and Partizan reaches the maximum plus nine after two points from Braun (40:31).
After a three-pointer by Kalates (the hosts' sixth overall), Partizan closes the gap again - 36:29.
Morgan, then Sulaimon - The future has shrunk to 31:28She could have scored more points after that, but Ferel missed a three-pointer.
The blue and whites left Lakić on a three-point shot several times - he had to hit it once, Buducnost loses 31:24.
A great start to the second quarter - Butej made a three-pointer for 25:22.
Bonus video:
