Mega Leks triumphed in Podgorica!!!
What a game already at the start of the ABA League Playoffs! Mega Leks made a huge upset in Podgorica by defeating Budućnost VOLI and taking the lead in the semifinal series! Amazing performance by Rade Zagorac...
What a game already at the start of the ABA League Playoffs! Mega Leks made a huge upset in Podgorica by defeating Budućnost VOLI and taking the lead in the semifinal series! Amazing performance by Rade Zagorac...
ABA League Semi-finals, Round 1, Monday, 14.3.2016:
Budućnost VOLI - MEGA LEKS 81:85 (15:24, 28:18, 19:18, 19:25)
Game recap: After the first game of the ABA League 2015/16 Playoffs we can only say - Please, let every game be like this one! Budućnost VOLI and Mega Leks played a spectacular match in Morača Hall, while the visiting side picked up a huge win. Mega Leks opened the game much better. Despite being without three very important players (Jaramaz, Aranitović and Kaba out due to injury), the youngest team in the league had 9 points lead already after the first quarter - 24:15. Danilo Nikolić marked that period with 3 three-pointers.
However, Budućnost VOLI had a quick response. The hosts made 9:0 run at the start of the second quarter and tied the score after only 3 minutes! Julius Jenkins was leading the Blue squad in those moments with incredible precision from behind the arc… Experienced American scored 3 three-pointers only in that period, while his team made 6 in total! Still, despite great shooting percentage, the home side were only 1 point ahead at the halftime - 43:42.
The second half was even more spectacular. While Julius Jenkins continued with putting down 3pts shots from all positions, Mega Leks answered via just amazing Rade Zagorac. Young small forward was unstoppable offensively, while some of his feints would find a place even in NBA Top 10. Two sides were constantly changing the lead, all the way until those key moments in last quarter…
Key moments: Jenkins got a support from Tadija Dragićević who scored two very important three-pointers, but on the other side Zagorac received help from Nikola Ivanović and Nikola Janković, who were superior in their pick "n" roll play. It was all tied at 80:80, with only 1 minute remaining on the clock.
Nikola Janković then scored one free-throw - 80:81, while on the other side Dragićević missed a three-pointer. The ball ended up in the hands of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot who got fouled on 17 seconds before the end! The Frenchman scored both free-throws - 80:83 for Mega Leks, but Budućnost VOLI had the ball. Omar Cook made a dribbling and pulled up for 3pts, Nikola Ivanović made a foul… Three free-throws!!!
But, Cook missed the first one, then missed the second one, while he finally scored the third one - 81:83. Mega Leks called for a time-out, with 11 seconds on the clock. After a break, Nikola Ivanović got fouled and scored both shots from the line - 81:85! It was over. Budućnost VOLI did not have enough time to make a comeback, Mega Leks took the lead in the semifinal series!
Man of the match: Rade Zagorac! He was brilliant, amazing, stunning… We can go on like this the whole night. Mega Leks youngster scored 27 points, while he missed only 3 shots for the entire game - 1 for 2pts, 1 for 3pts (in the last second of the first half, from half court) and 1 for 1pts! His overall index rating was 40! Bravo kid!
Can"t trick the stats: Budućnost VOLI tried too many 3pts shots - 40! They did made 14 of them, but it was just not their usual game style. They paid the price.
