The third semi-final of the ABA2 league, a great chance for the first place in the final - the Podgorica basketball players shocked the favored Vojvodina in the "Bemax Arena" and gained a big 18-point advantage before the rematch in Novi Sad (98:80).
The second game will be played next Thursday.
A great release by Dragan Radović's team, actually a continuation of the continuity of top games, after two triumphs over Zlatibor in the quarterfinals.
Little, however, after the first part of the game hinted at such a convincing victory. The starting part ended in a draw - 25:25, and Podgorica gained the first difference (47:42) two minutes before the end of the second quarter. At halftime it was even - 47:46.
And then, the rhapsody of Podgorica below.
Thanks to a cheerful Kunac, the home team took an 11-point lead (62:51), and with a three-pointer by Petrov at the beginning of the last quarter, it increased to plus 15 (76:61).
However, the worst for the people of Novi Sad was yet to come, the difference was growing, Brnović increased the score to a record plus 18 with a three-pointer four minutes before the end.
That's the difference that ended the duel.
"First of all, congratulations to the players for a great game throughout the 40 minutes. As we expected, a very demanding game, with a lot of tactical variants, but I think we responded in the right way, controlled the match, and in the second half made a difference that brings satisfaction and a more peaceful journey to Novi Sad. I am happy with the game and the result, and I hope that we will be ready to play at the same level in seven days, so that we can take another step towards the finals", said Dragan Radović after the match.
Dajlen Kunc led Podgorica with 26 points, Vjačeslav Petrov added 17, Filip Andušić 16, and Marko Kljajević 14.
Uros Banjac and Vasilije Vučetić stood out for Vojvodina with 13 points each, Montenegrin representative Zoran Nikolić scored 11.
"Congratulations to the Podgorica team on their well-deserved victory. We had an extremely upbeat opponent throughout the match, who not only consistently scored high percentages of shots for both two and three points, but in the second half came out with something that we needed to come out with, Kudos to the players and the coaching staff of Podgorica, and it's my fault that we didn't realize in time that this game is only the first half and that every point is important and that this match must be introduced in the rhythm we had in the first half. This is already too big a difference, but we will try to do something we have already done, which is to come back from the dead, but it will be very difficult," said Vojvodina coach Miloš Isakov Kovačević.
Bonus video:
