Sunday, the last day of March and a great announcement of a hot basketball spring - Buducnost Voli will welcome Partizan in the penultimate round of the Admiralbet ABA League, and the winner will practically secure second place before the playoffs.
And while in the years before the return of Željko Obradović to the black and white part of Belgrade, the club from Podgorica had a lot of success in duels with Partizan, the situation completely changed with the legendary Žoč.
Thanks to his influence and the difference in quality, the much larger budget that Partizan has had in the last three seasons, but also the weaker selection of the playing staff, the "blues" have registered only one victory since the 2021/22 season, more precisely since Obradović returned. In total, Budućnost and Partizan have met eight times in that period.
The only triumph of Buducnosti came precisely in the 2021/22 season. and that in the second match of the semi-finals of the playoffs, when Vladimir Micov hit a three-pointer four seconds before the end (72:71).
The only triumph of Buducnosti came precisely in the 2021/22 season. and that in the second match of the semi-finals of the playoffs, when Vladimir Micov hit a three-pointer four seconds before the end (72:71).
Partizan then easily defeated Aleksandar Džikić's team in both matches at home and qualified for the finals, just as he mostly resolved the other matches with Obradović in Belgrade.
It was much more interesting in Podgorica, so last season in the league part, Partizan won in a somewhat unreal finish - 83:82. It was Petar Mijović's third debut on the "blue" bench, the Montenegrin representative then came back from minus 14 against the team that was the hit of the Euroleague, and Eric Green scored a three-pointer and an additional throw for 82:82 three seconds before the end.
After that, Dante Exum may have exceeded the allowed five seconds to carry the ball, he somehow threw it to Kevin Panther, and Tre Bel-Haynes committed a naive foul. In the continuation, Panther hit a free throw and Partizan celebrated.
Apart from those two matches since Obradović's return, Budućnost welcomed Parizan once more - in March 2022, when the Belgrade team won 80:72.
It's time for a new battle in "Morača", one of the most important in recent years, and Budućnost and the fans are looking for a new hero.
Budućnost and Partizan matches since Obradović's arrival
Season 2023/24.
Partizan - Buducnost 96:83
Season 2022/23.
Partizan - Buducnost 106:77
Buducnost - Partizan 82:83
Season 2021/22.
Partizan - Buducnost 75:66
Buducnost - Partizan 72:80
Playoff semi-finals
Partizan - Buducnost 82:66
Buducnost - Partizan 72:71
Partizan - Buducnost 101:77
Bonus video:
