MZT Skopje Aerodrom get the important road win against Split
MZT Skopje Aerodrom get the critical win on the road against Split in their hopes to last place and relegation.
(Photo: Split/Ivica Cavka)
AdmiralBet ABA League Round 25, Friday, 9 April 2023:
Split - MZT SKOPJE AERODROM 74:77 (24:20, 7:19, 24:20, 19:18)
Game recap: MZT Skopje Aerodrom got the critical win on the road against Split in their hopes to last place and relegation. Following the win, MZT Skopje Aerodrom improved to a 6-19 season record heading into the final round of the season while Split took a hit in their playoff hopes as they drop to 10-15 on the season. In the final round of the season, MZT Skopje will be looking to avoid relegation at home against Cibona while Split goes on the road to take on Crvena zvezda MeridianBet.
Both teams showed up today with the must-win mentality, Split for playoff hopes while MZT Skopje Aerodrom look to secure a spot in the 2023/2024 AdmiralBet ABA League. MZT Skopje Aerodrom opened up the game with a quick 8:0 run and showed they were not going to be an easy opponent tonight. Split wouldn't let the visitors pull away that early, they managed to get back into the game and take a 4-point lead after the first quarter. MZT Skopje Aerodrom locked down Split in the second quarter, allowing the hosts to score only 7 points in the second period and taking a 31:39 lead heading into the halftime break. Despite MZT Skopje Aerodrom grabbing a double-digit advantage in the third quarter Split showed that they were going to fight until the end. Srđan Subotić's squad didn't let the blue and white pull away and kept the game close for much of the second half. Late in the fourth quarter Split would come within 3 points but that's the closest MZT Skopje Aerodrom would allow them to get.
Key moments: Michael Caffey hit a clutch three with less than a minute left in the game to give the team from Skopje a 6-point lead. Following a three by Shannon Shorter to bring Split within 3, Caffey had ice in his veins as he answered back with a three of his own the lock in the big win.
Man of the match: Vojdan Stojanovski was not going to let his team lose tonight, he finished the game as MZT Skopje Aerodrom's top scorer with 16 points and dished out 7 rebounds.
Can't trick the stats: MZT Skopje Aerodrom took good care of the ball tonight, they allowed only 6 turnovers while forcing Split to 13 turnovers.
Stats
Players on court
| SPL | Min | PtsP | RebsR | AssA | StS | FoulF | ValV | |
| 3 | Sullivan L. | 33:28 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| 11 | Vuko T. | 18:19 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| 12 | Shorter S. | 34:46 | 22 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 37 |
| 25 | Nelson T. | 28:34 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 15 |
| 30 | Mavra D. | 32:54 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 17 |
| MZT | Min | PtsP | RebsR | AssA | StS | FoulF | ValV | |
| 2 | Bursać A. | 27:29 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| 5 | Caffey M. | 26:33 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 13 | Abu A. | 21:50 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 19 | Stojanovski D. | 22:36 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 |
| 20 | Stojanovski V. | 26:38 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
Last 5 actions
| Min | Score | Action |
| game finished | ||
| end of 4. quarter | ||
| 00:09 (Q4) | 11 VUKO T. assist | |
| 00:09 (Q4) | 74 : 77 | 3 SULLIVAN L. made 3 points (jump shot) |
| 00:14 (Q4) | 3 SULLIVAN L. rebound (offensive) | |
| 00:17 (Q4) | 2 SHORTER S. missed 3 points (jump shot) |
|
Top players
| VALUE (INDEX) | ||||
| Shorter S. | 37 | - | 18 | Stojanovski V. |
| POINTS | ||||
| Shorter S. | 22 | - | 16 | Stojanovski V. |
| REBOUNDS | ||||
| Sullivan L. | 10 | - | 7 | Micovic S. |
| ASSISTS | ||||
| Shorter S. | 9 | - | 7 | Stojanovski V. |
