TWO UNREAL COMEBACKS OF MEGA, OVERTIME AND PETRUSEV’S TRIPLE OF THE BOARD FOR THE WIN IN ZELEZNIK

Two unreal comebacks, an overtime and Petrushev’s triple off the board for Mega’s victory in Zeleznik for the end of 2020!

Mega Soccerbet closed 2020 in an incredible way, as they defeated FMP in Zeleznik after overtime with 91:92 (18:25, 23:12, 17:20, 19:20, 14:15) in the 12th round of the ABA league. Coach Vladimir Jovanović’s team was losing the game by 10 points to less than three minutes until the end and then managed to go to the overtime, to be nine points behind in an additional five minutes and again managed to make a comeback after an incredible Petrušev’s triple of the board with 15 seconds to end, after which they kept the victory for the rest of the time.

The best in the ranks of Mega were Filip Petrusev with 25 points and 7 rebounds, as well as Marko Simonovic with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Filip Covic stood out in the FMP team with 26 points, while Nemanja Nenadic and Stefan Djordjevic scored 20 points each.

After 12 rounds of the ABA league, Mega Soccerbet is in first place in the table with nine wins and three defeats, while FMP has a score of 2-9. In the next round, Mega will welcome the Cedevita Olimpija team in the Hall of Sports Ranko Zeravica, and the match is scheduled for Saturday, January 2, at 7 p.m.

Vladimir Jovanović started the match with the following five: Tepic, Smith, Momirov, Simonovic, Petrusev. The game is played quickly at the start of the game, Petrusev is in the mood and with seven points that gave Mega an advantage of 11:12 after four minutes of play. After a somewhat slower pace in the attack, FMP briefly reached the advantage, but Mega regained the lead with a good defense and points under the basket, 15:18 in two minutes until the end of the quarter. Great finish by Mega, which increases the advantage with fast breaks, so the result is 18:25 after the first quarter.

Two threes for the home team at the beginning of the second quarter, which is three points behind, but Cazalon manages to correct his miss for three points. However, FMP is approaching minus one, and soon takes the lead, 37:34. Simonovic, after a great action by Mega, hits a three-pointer and manages to equalize the result, but FMP punishes Mega’s mistakes on two occasions, so they left at halftime with 41:37.

Mega’s attack was not fluid in the third quarter, FMP took the lead 10 point lead at one point, and it seemed to be the trigger for Mega’s players to play better. Great defense, three triples and a series of Mega 0:11 which is leading 54:55. After the exchange of points and the block of Matkovic, FMP corrected the miss in the last second for 58:57 at the end of the third quarter.

It seemed that the game was decided when, in less than three minutes until the end, FMP was leading with 75:65. Then, a new great series of Mega started, Simonovic scored under a foul, Tepic scored a triple, Petrusev hit lay up, and after Novak’s triple, the result was tied 77:77 with 41 seconds until the end. FMP makes a turnover and in the remaining time Tepic does not hit the floater, so game went into overtime.

The home team opened the overtime with 9: 0, but Mega did not give up. Cerovina hits a three and then Tepic lay up for two plus one and Mega is behind just 3 points. Nenadic briefly cuts Mega’s series, but Novak hits a three-pointer and then Tepic assists for Petrusev’s dunk for 88:88 with minute until the end. FMP fails to score so that Petrusev would hit a three-pointer off the board with 15 seconds until the end, which in the end decided the winner, because after Nenadic’s miss, Cerovina hit one free throw for plus four. By the end, Carapic managed to set the final score of 91:92 with a triple in the last second.

FMP: Lazarevic 6, Covic 26 (10 assists), Lesic, Carapic 5, Simovic, Radovanovic 5, Pecarski 5, Seslija, Nenadic 20, Radonjic 2, Popovic 2, Djordjevic 20.

Mega Soccerbet: Mišković 7, Smith 5 (6 assists), Petrusev 25 (8 rebounds, index 28), Tepić 8, Kljajević, Momirov 1, Novak 8 (6 assists), Simonović 17 (11 rebounds, index 24), Cerovina 11 (7 rebounds), Matkovic, Cazalon 10, Langovic.

Photo: Mega Soccerbet/Ivica Veselinov