CONTENTIOUS MEGA WITHOUT WIN AGAINST LEADER OF ABA LEAGUE

Mega Bemax players failed to make a big surprise since they lost to Buducnost Voli’s regional competition of 83:94 (31:23, 18:27, 22:25, 12:19) in the 16th round of the ABA League in Sremska Mitrovica. Players of coach Dejan Milojevic started the match greatly, they were close in the biggest part of the match, but Buducnost in the last quartertook took advantage of the mistakes of the Mega and secured the victory in the PSC Pinki hall. The coach of Mega Bemax at this match because of injury could not count Petar Aranitovic, Ognjen Carapic and Nikola Miskovic. Ognjen Jaramaz played his first competition match since returning to the Mega, who had 7 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 18 minutes.

The most effective in the ranks of Mega Bemax were Vlatko Cancar with 15, Kostja Mushidi and Milos Koprivica both with 12 points. Nikola Ivanovic with 18 points and Nemanja Gordic with 17 points were the best in Buducnost.

After 16 rounds of the ABA league, Mega Bemax has 5 wins while Buducnost VOLI has a score of 14-2. In the next round on Saturday, January 20th, at 17:00, Mega will play in Zagreb against Cedevita.

Before the match, the audience in the hall welcomed former players of Mega Danilo Nikolic, Nikola Ivanovic and Petar Popovic, as well as the former assistant coach of Srdjan Flajs. The general manager of the club, Goran Cakic, presented them gifts of city of Sremska Mitrovica and Mega Bemax.

Dejan Milojevic started the match with the following five: Rebic, Mushidi, Lazic, Cancar, Bitadze. At the beginning of the match, Mega through Mushidi, Bitadze and Lazic reached the minimum advantage, 13:12. Rebic hits the triple and Mushidi after the stolen ball effectively dunked behind his back. Bitadze had to go to the bench because of two personal fouls, but Koprivica played greatly and in a short period scored 10 points from all positions for 31:23 after the first quarter

At the beginning of the second quarter two quick personal fouls for Koprivica, which due to a total of three fouls must go to the bench. Fundic is excellent on both sides of the field and Mega in the 13th minute has a 37:28 advantage. After that Buducnost from three point and free-throw line melted advantage of Mega to two points. Cancar interrupts a series of guests with effective dunk, but Buducnost with new free throws got into the lead, 43:48. Mega does not allow them to go to bigger advantage, so the half-time ended with 49:50.

After half-time break, Mushidi hits two triples for Mega, but guests return with same hit shots. Buducnost held 2 to 6 points advantage, Fundic with a brilliant defense and Jaramaz with a three pointer approached Mega to a point behind, 67:68. Buducnost makes a mini-series 0:5 and the result before the last quarter is 71:75.

In the last 10 minutes, Buducnost with three pointers held the advantage. At the result 78:83, guests from Podgorica penalized two mistakes in the defense of Mega and reached plus 10, 78:88. By the end of the match, Mega did not endanger the victory of Buducnost, so the final result was 83:94.

Mega Bemax: Mushidi 12, Rebic 10, Sinovec 4, Cancar 15 (6 rebounds), Jaramaz 9 (6 rebounds, 5 assists), Bitadze 4, Jovicic 3, Lazic 7 (7 rebounds), Koprivica 12, Samardziski, Fundic 9, Kapetanovic.

Buducnost VOLI: Ivanovic 18, Su. Sehovic 14, Barovic 2, Se. Sehovic 1, Starovlah, Gordic 17, Ilic 2, Z. Nikolic 6, Gibson 15, Popovic 5, Landry 11, D. Nikolic 3.

Photo: Mega Bemax/Ivica Veselinov