Budućnost VOLI win the battle vs. FMP Meridian to get one step closer to the semis
Budućnost VOLI defeated FMP Meridian in Podgorica in Game 1 of the 2022 AdmiralBet ABA League Playoffs Preliminary Round.
(Photo: Buducnost VOLI)
AdmiralBet ABA League Playoffs, Preliminary Round, Game 1, Saturday, 30 April 2022:
BUDUĆNOST VOLI - FMP Meridian 76:70 (24:14, 13:15, 15:21, 24:20)
Game recap: Budućnost VOLI defeated FMP Meridian in Podgorica in Game 1 of the 2022 AdmiralBet ABA League Playoffs Preliminary Round.
The blue-and-whites have therefore extended their home-court winning run in the regional league Playoffs as this was their 12th consecutive win in Podgorica. Budućnost VOLI lost their last home-court game in the Playoffs back in 2016.
Budućnost VOLI therefore needs just one more win to advance to the semi-finals, however now the series are moving to Belgrade, where FMP Meridian will try to tie the score and force Game 3. It must be mentioned that FMP Meridian played today's game without their best player Bryce Jones who was sidelined due to injury, while we are about to see whether this extellent point guard will recover in time to help his teammates on Wednesday evening in Game 2.
Key moments: Budućnost VOLI entered the final minute of this game with a 2-point lead – 70:68, but FMP Meridian had the ball-possession and a big chance to tie the score as Nenad Nerandžić earned himself a good position close to the basket to make a lay-up. However, his 2-point shot did not make it through the basket.
And, FMP Meridian were punished immediately for that miss. On the other side, of the court, two-time regional league champion Marko Jagodić Kuridža was left wide open in the corner and he drained the key three-pointer to extend the lead of Budućnost VOLI to 5 points – 73:68. That 3-pointer definitely sealed the win for the home team.
Man of the match: Justin Cobbs stepped up offensively for Budućnost VOLI tonight as he was the team’s top scorer with 18 points.
Can’t trick the stats: FMP Meridian had a really slow start today as they let Budućnost VOLI escape on a double-digit lead already in the opening quarter - 24:14. The visitors started playing much better after that, but they will keep asking themselves what might have happened later on the game, if they had only made a better performance in the opening 10 minutes.
Stats
Players on court
| BUD | Min | PtsP | RebsR | AssA | StS | FoulF | ValV | |
| 1 | Cobbs J. | 27:43 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 6 | Barović F. | 20:42 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| 8 | Seeley D. | 23:56 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 21 | Jagodić Kuridža M. | 26:29 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 30 | Popović P. | 21:04 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| FMP | Min | PtsP | RebsR | AssA | StS | FoulF | ValV | |
| 7 | Vujičić M. | 23:08 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 12 | Tasić D. | 30:11 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 13 | Radonjić M. | 33:44 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 24 | Nerandžić N. | 32:14 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 26 | Stepanović A. | 20:44 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
Last 5 actions
| Min | Score | Action |
| game finished | ||
| end of 4. quarter | ||
| 00:07 (Q4) | 30 POPOVIĆ P. rebound (defensive) | |
| 00:07 (Q4) | 7 STEPANOVIĆ A. missed 3 points (jump shot) | |
| 00:09 (Q4) | 76 : 70 | 6 COBBS J. made free throw (2 of 2) |
| 00:09 (Q4) | 75 : 70 | 6 COBBS J. made free throw (1 of 2) |
Top players
| VALUE (INDEX) | ||||
| Popović P. | 17 | - | 13 | Stepanović A. |
| POINTS | ||||
| Cobbs J. | 18 | - | 16 | Tasić D. |
| REBOUNDS | ||||
| Nikolić Z. | 6 | - | 9 | Nerandžić N. |
| ASSISTS | ||||
| Popović P. | 3 | - | 3 | Nevels G. |
