MEGA WITH EXCELLENT GAME TO THE WIN IN ZADAR

Mega celebrated in Zadar to get back on the winning track!

In the game of the 25th round of the ABA League, after another exciting finish, Mega Mozzart celebrated on the road against Zadar with 81:85 (21:18, 22:22, 11:20, 27:25). Coach Vladimir Jovanovic’s team managed to take revenge on Zadar for the defeat in the first part of the championship, as they had the advantage in most part of today’s game, and in the finish they managed to defend the victory with good energy and concentration in key moments.

The most efficient in the ranks of Mega were Borisa Simanic with 21 points and Luka Cerovina with 17, who still had 7 rebounds and 5 assists. The first game for Mega since December and injury in the match with Split was played by Cazalon, who spent a little more than 3 minutes in the game. Dario Dreznjak stood out in the Zadar with 20 points.

After 25 rounds of the ABA league, Mega Mozzart has a score of 9-14 with one game less, while Zadar has 7 wins and 16 losses. Mega Mozzart will play the next game on Sunday, April 10, at 12 o’clock, when they will host Partizan NIS in Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall.

Mega started the match with five Smiths, Ruzhentsev, Jovic, Simanic and Matkovic. A few misses on both sides at the start of the game with three missed free throws by Mega. However, the game accelerated, so Mega with points of Simanic and Jovic lead 7:8. After a short weaker sequence of Mega and the lead of Zadar 12:8, Ruzhentsev dunks, and then hits for three, with another triple by Simanic, so Mega leads 12:16. Zadar takes control of the field and regains the lead with a run of 7:0, and the result of the first quarter was set by Uskoković with a mid-range for 21:18 at the end of the quarter.

Cerovina tied two threes at the beginning of the second quarter for the lead 23:24. The next few minutes were practically a basket for a basket, where no team gained an advantage of more than three points. Rudan and Jovic cooperate very well and do not allow the Zadar to break away. In the finish of the quarter, Mega did not guard the offensive jump of Zadar on several occasions, so the home team has an advantage of 43:40 at halftime.

Mega started the second half very well with Matković’s points from the paint and two triples by Simanic on Cerovina’s assists, so that with the dunk of Simanic, Mega reached plus 9, 45:54. Zadar manages to approach Mega after several offensive rebounds, but Cerovina hits an important three. Zadar is also accurate for three, so Mega, with a good defense at the end of the period and a dunk of Rudan under a foul, reached 54:60 before the last 10 minutes of the game.

Jovic and Simanic repel Zadar’s attacks with important threes, but Mega fails to lead by more than 6 points. Mega is great in the paint of Zadar, but the home team manages to keep the connection at 2-3 points with threes until the end of the game. Cerovina corrects his miss and brings Mega plus 5, but Mavra hits a three-pointer from a great distance for 78:80. The coach of Mega called time-out with 34 seconds until the end, after which Smith brought a plus 4 for Mega. Zadar fights back through Carter, but Smith hits one free throw. Vukovic was fouled in the jump with 4 seconds until the end and the result 80:83 for Mega. The player from Zadar was halfway precise from the free throw line, and Simanic put an point to the victory with both free throw for the final 81:85.

Zadar: Carter 12, Marcinkovic 5, Paponja, Jordano 13, Brala, Vukovic 6 (11 rebounds), Junakovic 10, Buljan, Dreznjak 20, Mavra 11, Thompson 4.

Mega Mozzart: Vujic, Ruzhentsev 6, Jovic 9, Rudan 11, Uskokovic 2, Kocovic, Smith 5, Cerovina 17 (7 rebounds, 5 assists), Matkovic 14, Cazalon, Simanic 21, Musikic.

Photo: Zadar/Zvonko Kučelin