BARAĆ: “TO COME BACK AND WIN IN OVERTIME AGAINST A TEAM LIKE IGOKEA IS A BIG THING”

A fantastic match in Laktaši and a tremendous victory for the basketball players of Mega MIS! They defeated Igokea on the road after overtime 115:109 (24:28, 19:21, 27:22, 32:31, 13:7) and achieved their second consecutive and fifth overall victory in the ABA League this season, and after 15 rounds, have a 10-5 record. Marko Barac’s team refused to give up even when they were behind by double digits in the middle of the third quarter. They turned the score around in the last moments, and then at the end of the fourth quarter, they came close to winning, but with less than four seconds left, the referees awarded the rival three free throws, with which they won overtime. In another five minutes, the Mega basketball players established control and achieved a crucial triumph with patient play in attack and self-sacrificing defense.

Coach Marko Barać gave his impressions at the press conference after the great victory.

– Dramatic match, an important victory. Each one is important to us. Winning on this field against an exceptional Igokeka team, such an organized and well-managed club is never easy. In the most critical moments of the match, we found lineups that worked well in the game, which I jokingly like to say is a guard’s game. Our defenders played exceptionally well, shooters scored, centers rebounded, everyone fulfilled their part of the task under their roles, and we had the opportunity to win the game. In the end, it was a matter of routine to close the match at the regular time, but we made a few mistakes. I have to give credit to Igokea, who was fighting. Against such a characterful team like Igokea, after such a blow at the end of regular time, to come back and win in extra time is certainly a big thing, and I congratulate my players for that. I wish the host the best of luck in the rest of the competition. Surely, after being relegated from the European competition, they can shift all focus to the ABA league, and they have the capacity and quality for that. I am sure that better days await them in the ABA league,

said Barac.

Mega MIS will welcome Zadar in the next round, and the match at the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall is scheduled for Monday, January 23, from 8:00 p.m.

Photo: Igokea/Marija Vuruna