MEGA SUPERBET FELL JUST SHORT OF A COMEBACK IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE SERBIAN SUPERLIGA QUARTERFINALS

The Mega Superbet basketball team suffered a defeat in the first game of the Serbian Superliga quarterfinal series, losing to FMP 81-86 at TC Dejan Milojević (16:24, 19:24, 22:24, 24:14). Marko Barać’s youthful squad found themselves down by double digits after 20 minutes, responded well in the third quarter but couldn’t cut the deficit. The visitors extended their lead at the start of the final period, reaching over 20 points, but Mega didn’t give up. They fought back and closed the gap to just three points. However, they lacked the strength for a full comeback and lost 0-1 in the quarterfinal series of the domestic championship.

Andrija Jelavić had a great game for Mega Superbet, scoring 20 points and grabbing 14 rebounds for a performance index rating of 40! He was followed by Filip Jović, who also scored 20, while Savo Drezgić, making his debut in the pink jersey, had a double-digit performance with 14 points and six assists. Mega Superbet played with a young roster, giving chances to Adbramane Sibi, Ognjen Nikolić, and Andrej Mušicki.

In the winning FMP team, Filip Barna was the top scorer with 22 points, Josh Scott added 13, Aleksa Stanojević contributed 12, and Stefan Lazarević scored 11.

After a few opening minutes where the visitors led 10-4, Mega Superbet responded with an 8-2 run. The first quarter saw a fierce battle, but FMP managed to pull away late, soon gaining a double-digit lead early in the second quarter. They led by as many as 16 points, but after a three-pointer by Nikolić, Mega cut the deficit in half just under two minutes before halftime. Like in the first quarter, the visitors finished the second strong, leading 48-35 at the break.

Barać’s team threatened early in the third quarter and found a better rhythm, but the opponent kept the distance and entered the final period with a 15-point lead (72-57). The young Mega Superbet squad tried everything to get back in the game but soon fell further behind. Still, they managed to chip away at the deficit, showing character with a 13-0 run to get within single digits and later reducing the difference to just three points in the last minute. Unfortunately, a bit of luck was missing in the tight finish, as FMP held on to secure the win.

The second game of the Serbian Superliga quarterfinal series between Mega Superbet and FMP is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, at 18:00 in Železnik.

Mega Superbet: Drezgić 14 (6 ast), Jelavić 20 (14 reb, PIR 40), Vukčević, Kroflič 8, Macura 2 (5 reb), Milijašević, Nikolić 5, Jović 20 (PIR 21), Tanasković 2, Mušicki, Sibi 7 (5 reb), Malovec 3

FMP: Grojić 5, Scott 13, Šaranović 6, Simović, Tomašević 3, Gašić 6, Radosavljević 8, Stanojević 12, Stojanović, Popović, Lazarević 11, Barna 22