MEGA LOST IN FINISH IN ZADAR

Basketball players f Mega Bemax did not manage to reach the 8th victory in the ABA League since in the “Kresimir Cosic” hall within the 21st round, Zadar won with 95:91 (19:21, 31:22, 19:30, 26:18). Dejan Milojević’s players had big problems with injuries before the match, which resulted in missing Jaramaz, Mushidi, Fundic and Jovicic, but at the beginning of the last quarter they had 10 points advantage. Zadar with series 18:0 reached advantage of 8 points that Mega managed to drop to 2, but missed free throws costed them winning overtime.

The most efficient in the ranks of Mega Bemax were Stefan Sinovec with 18 and Petar Aranitovic with 17 points while Preston Knowles scored 19 points in Zadar.

Mega after the 21st round of the ABA League have a score of 7 wins and 15 defeats while Zadar have 3 more wins. In the last round on March 11th at 17:00 Mega Bemax in Sremska Mitrovica will host Igokea.

Milojević started the match with Carapic, Sinovec, Marjanovic, Cancar and Bitadze. Good opening of the match for Meg resulted after 4 minutes with lead 5:12 with two blocks of Bitadze. A solid defensive game of Mega keeps the lead, but after a few turnovers in the offence, Zadar manages to lower the minus to only 1 point, 16:17. After Milojevic’s time-out, Koprivica scores after Aranitovic’s good assist, and then Lazic scores aftef offensive rebound so advantage is 5 points for Mega. Zadar set the result after the first quarter, 19:21.

Zadar briefly moves into the lead at the beginning of the second quarter, but Sinovec and Miskovic returned the advantage to Mega. Bitadze did well under the paint on two occasions. However, several turnovers in the offence Zadar punished for a new home team lead, 40:36. The problem for Mega is also the 3rd personal foul for Bitadze. After two technical foul to Mega, Zadar goes to plus 10, but CarapIC hits three pointer for 50:43 at halftime.

After a break at the half, followed the great game of Mega in the attack, the threes of Marjanovic, Bitadze and Sinovec, and after Carapic new points, the players of Dejan Milojevic got into the lead. A good game is continuing on both sides of the field, so Aranitovic ties couple of points with plus one and three pointer in the last second for 69:73.

Aranitovic continued where he stopped in the last period, hitting the entrance and 2 of 3 free throws, and then Lazic had tip in for plus 10, 69:79. There followed a very poor game of Mege on both sides of the court, a period of 6 minutes without points that Zadar used for the series 18:0 and plus 8, slightly more than 2 minutes to the end of the match. Lazic interrupted series of Zadar with a great dunk and then points under the basket for 87:83. Carapic scores for minus 2, but the home team from the free-throw line arrives to 91:86. Mega’s players did not give up, minus was agains lowered to 2 points, but Zadar was then precise from the free-throw line, Mega was not so the home team won with 95:91.

Zadar: Knowles 19, Basic 17, Vladovic 1, Ivanov 16, Kraljevic 2, Jelenkovic, Krajina 17, Vukovic 5, Brzoja 11, Spralja, Bozic 7.

Mega Bemax: Aranitovic 17, Sinovec 18, Marjanovic 8,Cancar 2, Carapic 13, Bitadze 11 (8 rebounds, 5 blocks), Lazic 13 (8 rebounds), Koprivica 6, Samardziski, Miskovic 3, Kapetanovic.

Photo: Zadar / Zvonko Kucelin