TIGHT LOSE OF DECIMATED MEGA IN LITHUANIA

Players of Mega Leks decimated with injuries, failed to make a big surprise since withing the 11th round of the Basketball Champions League Juventus Utena won with 85:78 (23:22, 22:15, 18:22, 22:19). Mega has on several occasions during the match managed to come back from score deficit and even to take the lead, but in the end he lacked the strength and concentration in the decisive moments, so Juventus have reached the victory. For this match, Dejan Milojevic because of injury could not count on Marko Tejic and Djordje Simeunovic, while Stefan Glogovac because of the high temperature did not travel with the team.

Best in the ranks of Mega Leks was Aleksandar Marelja with 17 points while Zagorac, Novak and Jaramaz had 16. The most efficient in the Lithuanian team was Best with 21 points. After 11 rounds, Mega has 3 wins and 8 losses while the Lithuanian team arrived to 7th victory. Mega in the D group now have win less than 5th placed Oostende who have a match less and tomorrow awaits Avellino.

Dejan Milojevic started the match with the following five: Novak, Jaramaz, Zagorac, Spasojevic and Kaba. After the first 4:0 for the home team, Mega played good on both sides of the court while with the series 0:9 reaches plus 5.Juventus then used Mega’s turnovers for lead in the 6th minute 15:11 for the home team. In came Marelja who was first accurate under the basket and then in counterattack dunked great under the foul for a lead of Mega. By the end of the quarter was seen equal game and teams went to the first break with 23:22 for Juventus.

At the beginning of the second quarter Best led Juventus, who comes across it to plus 6, 32:26. Soon came the answer through excellent counter attacks of Mega, lay-up of Jaramaz and Spasojevic’s three pointer. Juventus used bad protection of paint of Mega and after offensive rebounds and scored three, reaches the first significant advantages, plus 10. Marelja lay-up after an excellent pass by Novak, ended the first half with 45:37 for Juventus.

Zagorac with two baskets opened the second half and significantly more engaged team game of Mege in defense gave results. Jaramaz and Novak took Mega to minus 1 and then Marelja from the free throw line gave advantage to Mega after a long time. Sulskis tied 7 points for Juventus in a short period of time for new lead home team and the third period ends Marelja first with points and then with block for 63:59 before the last 10 minutes.

The series of turnovers and errors in the defense brought large plus 12 for Juventus with 4 minutes to go. Then, as at the match in Sremska Mitrovica, Mega went for all or nothing. Series 0:8 and minus is reduced to only 4 points on 2 minutes left in the game. In the next two attack Mega successfully defend the basket but lost the ball both times. Zagorac with 28 seconds to the end of reduced to minus 2 at the free throw line for 78:76. But the home team hit free throws and after missed shot of Mega, point to the match puts Bickauskis with three pointer for 85:78.

The next match Mega Leks have on Monday 9th of January at 18:00 when within the 16th round of ABA league in Sremska Mitrovica awaits Crvena zvezda mts.

Juventus Utena: Diggs 11, Parker, Bickauskis 10, Sirutavicius 4, Best 21, Kietis, Cepukaitis 4, Vasilijus 9, Galdikas 6, Sulskis 20.

Mega Leks: Mushidi, Djokovic, Jaramaz 16 (7 rebounds, 7 assists), Spasojević 7, Kaba 5 (6 rebounds), Zagorac 16, Cancar 1, Novak 16 (5 assists), Marelja 17 (3 blocks).

Photo: Basketball Champions League