Cibona hold on to get their first win of the season beating Mornar-Barsko zlato

AdmiralBet ABA League Round 6, Saturday, 4 November 2023:

CIBONA - Mornar-Barsko zlato 73:72 (18:20, 15:19, 25:15, 15:18)

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POST-GAME COMMENTS

Game recap: Cibona have gotten their first win of the season after they beat Mornar-Barsko zlato on their home court following a thrilling game in Zagreb. 

Mornar-Barsko zlato controlled the game throughout the first half, Cibona briefly held a 1-point lead in the first 20 minutes. Alex Gavrilović was on fire for Mornar-Barsko zlato in the first half scoring 16 points. Cibona forced their way back with a terrific third quarter, they opened the half with a 12:0 run which would give them the momentum that they carried until the end of the game. 

Following a thrilling finish to a game that seemed like it was headed into overtime, Cibona made crucial plays late in the game to secure their first win of the season. 

Key moments: After Mornar-Barsko zlato came back and the game was tied up at 67:67 heading into the final 3 minutes of the game, Cibona went on a crucial 5:0 run. Alex Stein came up clutch hitting a crucial shot from downtown to give Cibona a 3-point lead. After that, Mornar-Barsko zlato missed an easy layup for an opportunity to cut the Cibona lead to just one. Cibona's Domagoj Prolet hit two free throws to bring the lead to 5 with a minute and a half remaining in the game. 

Man of the match: Tomislav Buljan was absolutely terrific today. Coming off the bench, Buljan finished the day with a double-double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 13 rebounds for a valuation of 28. 

Can't hide the stats: Despite there not being many points scored on the fast break, Cibona scored just 6 points on the fast break but they managed to stop Mornar-Barsko zlato on the run not allowing them to score any points on the fast break. A 6:0 difference may not be a big talking point but in a 1-point win, every possession is key.