#ABAMemories: The beginning of the red and white dynasty
On this day, exactly five years ago, Crvena zvezda Telekom have beaten Cedevita in Game 4 of the ABA League Finals and grabbed their first trophy in the regional competition.
Since the 2002/03 season, when they have joined the strongest regional club basketball competition, Crvena zvezda fans have been waiting for their first trophy in the competition for no less than 13 years, but then it happened.
On this day in 2015, Crvena zvezda Telekom, led by head coach Dejan Radonjić from the bench and with the line-up of players Marcus Williams, Nikola Rebić, Nemanja Dangubić, Luka Mitrović, Branko Lazić, Jaka Blažič, Nikola Kalinić, Boban Marjanović, Marko Tejić, Charles Jenkins, Stefan Jović and Maik Zirbes, have prevailed over Cedevita for the third time in the Finals, on the road in Zagreb, winning the series 3:1 and bringing the trophy home to Belgrade for the first time.
Crvena zvezda Telekom first won both games at home in Belgrade, with the scores of 68:59 and 69:65 and when the series moved to Zagreb, Cedevita have cut their deficit to 2:1 with a convincing 72:62 win at home court of Dom sportova sports hall.
However, the red and white did not give up on their hopes of ending the series already in Zagreb and they have bounced back in Game 4 in which they have prevailed with the score of 89:79 with a heroic performance by Charles Jenkins, who had 17 points and Luka Mitrović, who added 14.
This was the first regional league trophy for the Belgrade’s red and white and they have repeated their success three times afterwards – in the seasons 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2018/19, which makes the 2015 trophy the beginning of a beautiful streak for the Zvezda fans.
It has been a dream season for Crvena zvezda Telekom, as they have ended the 2014/15 Regular Season with 24 wins and only 2 defeats on their record in the first place in the standings. In the Semi-finals, they have edged out Partizan 3:1 in victories and afterwards Cedevita with the same score in the Finals.
Boban Marjanović became the Playoffs MVP with excellent performance in the final phase of the competition, which he ended with an average of 11.5 points, 9.1 points, 1.1 assists, 1 block and an average valuation of 19.6.
For sure it will remain a season, that all of the Crvena zvezda mts fans will remember forever.
2014/15 ABA League Finals, Round 1, Saturday, 25.4.2015:
CRVENA ZVEZDA TELEKOM – Cedevita 68:59 (24:9, 18:15, 12:20, 14:15)
Crvena zvezda Telekom scorers: Williams, Rebić, Dangubić 4, Mitrović 18, Lazić 3, Blažič 9, Kalinić 6, Marjanović 15, Tejić 2, Jenkins 4, Jović, Zirbes 7.
Cedevita scorers: Barać 4, Ramljak, Pilepić, Babić 12, Delaš, Žganec 6, Bilan 9, Delaš 2, Gordić 9, Ukić 6, Tomas 9, Arapović 2.
Round 2, Sunday, 26.4.2015:
CRVENA ZVEZDA TELEKOM - Cedevita 69:65 (22:8, 18:24, 18:16, 11:17)
Crvena zvezda Telekom scorers: Williams 5, Rebić, Dangubić 3, Mitrović 19, Lazić, Blažič 2, Kalinić 8, Marjanović 20, Tejić 2, Jenkins 7, Jović 3, Zirbes.
Cedevita scorers: Zubčić 5, Barać 8, Ramljak 2, Pilepić 9, Babić 14, Delaš, Žganec 8, Bilan 6, Gordić 2, Ukić 10, Tomas 1, Arapović.
Round 3, Wednesday, 29.4.2015:
CEDEVITA – Crvena zvezda Telekom 72:62 (23:16, 18:17, 27:13, 4:16)
Cedevita scorers: Zubčić, Barać 15, Ramljak, Pilepić 7, Babić 12, Delaš, Žganec 2, Bilan 10, Delaš, Gordić 4, Ukić 8, Tomas 14.
Crvena zvezda Telekom scorers: Williams 5, Rebić, Dangubić 6, Mitrović 8, Lazić 3, Blažič 1, Kalinić 10, Marjanović 16, Kaplanović, Tejić 2, Jenkins 8, Jović 3.
Round 4, Thursday, 30.4.2015:
Cedevita – CRVENA ZVEZDA TELEKOM 79:89 (25:30, 10:22, 23:17, 21:20)
Cedevita scorers: Zubčić 15, Barać 9, Ramljak 4, Pilepić 7, Babić 5, Delaš, Žganec 8, Bilan 12, Gordić 7, Ukić, Tomas 5, Arapović 7.
Crvena zvezda Telekom scorers: Williams 9, Rebić, Dangubić 4, Mitrović 14, Lazić 3, Blažič, Kalinić 12, Marjanović 12, Tejić 2, Jenkins 17, Jović 8, Zirbes 8.
