Zadar beats rivals Cibona on the road in Zagreb

AdmiralBet ABA League Round 18, Monday, 29 January 2024:

Cibona - ZADAR 71:88 (20:11, 16:29, 22:26, 13:22)

PHOTO GALLERY
POST-GAME COMMENTS

Game recap: Zadar have gotten the important road win against Cibona which helps them in their hunt for a playoff spot. 

Cibona had a great start to the game, they opened with an 8:3 run, and by the end of the first quarter, they held a 20:11 lead. Zadar took control of the game in the second quarter, they ended the quarter with a 13:0 run which was capped off by an Arijan Lakić buzzer beater. Zadar took the momentum into the second half, and continued to grow their lead, in the third quarter they held a 13-point advantage. Zadar did not let Cibona get back into the game, every time they cut into the lead Zadar would run away again and keep them at a distance. 

Key moments: After Cibona cut the Zadar lead to just 7 midway through the final quarter, Danijel Jusup's squad went on a crucial 10:2 run to make sure that Cibona would not complete a comeback in front of the home crowd. 

Man of the match: Luka Božić missed Zadar's last game due to injury, but he came back and played every second of tonight's game. In his return to the hardwood, Božić put up 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. 

Can't hide the stats: Zadar was efficient shooting the ball tonight, they shot an excellent 56% percent from the field while limiting Cibona shot just 42%. The Dalmatians missed just 11 shots from two-point range, shooting 22/33 from inside the arc. Zadar finished the night with 38 points in the paints while Cibona had 32.