Preseason: Wins for Cedevita, MZT, Partizan, Zadar and Zvezda

Zadar beat Lokomotiv Kuban at home in Višnjik to take the third place at the Dogus Basketball Tournament. In the clash of ABA League powerhouses, Cedevita were better than Budućnost VOLI. Crvena zvezda mts outgunned star-packed Hapoel Jerusalem, while MZT Skopje Aerodrom were better than Peja and Partizan NIS downed Spartak Subotica.

Budućnost VOLI and Cedevita, two semi-finalists of the last ABA League season, met in the fifth place game at the Zadar Dogus Basketball Tourment in Višnjik and thanks to their convincing display in the final quarter of the game, Cedevita was the team that came out on top from the clash of two powerhouses of the regional basketball. The final score was 78:68 in favour of Cedevita, for which youngsterDžanan Musa led the way in scoring with 14 points, while he was followed by Luka Babić and David Stockton(each of them contributed 13). On the side of Budućnost VOLI, Nemanja Vranješ was the most efficient with 17 points. Bojan Subotić added 13. Budućnost VOLI played the game without injured J.R. Reynolds and Suad Šehović.

Crvena zvezda mts were better than Hapoel Jerusalem at the tournament in Crete and they did it thanks to their excellent last 10 minutes of the game, when they have created the crucial difference. The final score of the game was 67:59 for the Belgrade’s red and white and it was Milko Bjelica who was the top scorer on their side with 21 points, while Luka Mitrović scored 11.

At the tournament in Kavadarci, MZT Skopje Aerodrom had no problems with Peja in the semi-final clash and have reached the final, which will be played a day later. The difference between the two teams, that was only 2 points at half time, became obvious in the second part of the game, after MZT have won the third quarter with the score of 25:10. The final margin between the two teams was 17 points (75:57), with Charlon Kloofbeing the frontrunner in scoring competition at the side of MZT Skopje Aerodrom with 16 points on his account. Xavier Thames scored 14 points.

At the tournament in Kavadarci, MZT Skopje Aerodrom had no problems with Peja in the semi-final clash and have reached the final, which will be played a day later. The difference between the two teams, that was only 2 points at half time, became obvious in the second part of the game, after MZT have won the third quarter with the score of 25:10. The final margin between the two teams was 17 points (75:57), with Charlon Kloof being the frontrunner in scoring competition at the side of MZT Skopje Aerodrom with 16 points on his account. Xavier Thames scored 14 points. 

In Subotica, Partizan NIS managed to overcome the home Spartak side with the final score of 92:89 in a game, which they have turned around in the final quarter. Newcomers in the black and white jersey were the most efficient at the side of the Belgrade squad. Big man Uroš Luković topped the scorers’ list with 21 points, William Hatcher added 20. 

Preseason game, Sunday, 25.9.2016:

Budućnost VOLI – CEDEVITA 68:78 (20:22, 25:21, 16:21, 7:14)

Budućnost VOLI: Vranješ 17, Subotić 13, James 12, Popović 6, Sead Šehović 5, Nikolić 4, Williams 3, Baćović 3, Starovlah 2, Ilić 2, Savović 1, Slavković.

Cedevita: Musa 14, Babić 13, Stockton 13, Arapović 8, James 8, Dukan 8, Žganec 6, Bilan 3, Hopson 3, Begić 2, Krušlin.

Hapoel Jerusalem – CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS 59:67 (19:15, 16:19, 12:11, 12:22)

Hapoel Jerusalem: Jerrels 15, Stoudemire 11, Halperin 8, Dyson 7, Jones 6, Peterson 5, Kinsey 4, Timor 3, Eliyahu, Rosefelt, Menco.

Crvena zvezda Telekom: Bjelica 21, Mitrović 11, Simonović 8, Rebić 7, Lazić 6, Kuzmić 6, Gudurić 3, Dobrić 3, Jović 2, Dangubić, Simanić, Jenkins.

MZT SKOPJE AERODROM – Peja 75:57 (15:12, 19:20, 25:10, 15:16)

MZT Skopje Aerodrom: Kloof 16, Thames 14, Massey 12, Lalić 12, Thomas 8, Simonovski 6, Scott 3, Mekić 2, Lučić 2. 

ZADAR – Lokomotiv Kuban 75:67 (17:15, 18:14, 16:21, 24:17)

Zadar: Mazalin 18, Marinković 14, Barać 13, Kovačević 12, Vladović 9, Krajina 5, Brzoja 4, Marić, Jelenković, Jurica, Špaleta, Vrkić.

Lokomotiv Kuban: Janning 12, Vougioukas 12, Broekhoff 11, Gabriel 9, Rochestie 8, Jones 6, Collins 5, Shukhovtsov 4, Balashov, Levshin, Zakharov, Gerasimov.

PARTIZAN NIS – Spartak Subotica 92:89 (25:14, 21:24, 22:31, 24:20)

Partizan NIS: Luković 21, Hatcher 20, Birčević 17, Robinson 8, Marinković 8, Tanasković 8, Vrabac 6, Pot 2, Karahodžić 2, Jovanović, Velićković, Majstorović, Koprivica, Andrić.

Spartak Subotica: Puljko 21, Hristov 15, Nikolić 11, Jovišić 8, Miščević 7, Ljubenković 5, Laketa 5, Matić 5, Andrejević 4, Prlja 4, Popović 4, Lučić.

(Photo: Sport Event)