ABA Liga: Buducnost stops Red Star

ABA Liga

It’s been nearly 10 years since Red Star has made the trip to Podgorica, Montenegro to take on Buducnost VOLI and come away with a win. With the hosts sitting at 3-2 in the ABA Liga and the visitors at 4-1, the motivation to snap the lengthy streak was high. Unfortunately, a 9:2 run through the last four minutes of the contest and a key missed shot gave Buducnost a 62:60 victory.

The result ties the clubs in the standings at 4-2, good for third place behind league-leading Partizan and Cedevita, both at 5-1. Behind Vuducnost and Crvena Zvezda Telekom are six clubs tied with 3-3 records.

Red Star struck first and built a solid advantage mid-way through the first, but the hosts countered and took the lead only to have the guests run off five unanswered to jump back out front. By the end of the frame they held a two point lead, 16:18. Buducnost took the lead back in the 15th minute and held it until a Charles Jenkins jumper with just over a minute to play in the half. Aleksa Popovic gave the hosts the lead back at the horn to send the teams into the dressing room with a 32:31 lead.

The hosts ran off five to open the second half and kept the lead to the end of the frame. They held the lead into the mid point of the fourth when Red Star when on a 2:11 run to get up 52:57. A 9:2 run by the locals put them up 60:58 with 18 seconds on the clock. Aleksandar Capin stepped to the free throw line with an opportunity to make it a two-possession game, but split the pair to get up three. Jaka Blazic dropped in two charity tosses for Crvena to pull his club to within a point 61:60. Suad Sehovic stepped to the line for Buducnost shortly after and again the hosts were only able to connect on one of the pair to push the lead to two. Blazic had an opportunity to tie the contest and send it into an extra frame but he came up empty with his jumper, keeping the 10-year drought for Red Star on the floor in Podgorica intact.

Sehovic was game-high with a 16P/11R double-double for the hosts, while Jeleel Akindele and Capin added 10 each. Boban Marjanović led Red Star with a 13P/11R double-double, and Blake Schilb scored 10.

The rest of Week 6 took place on Sat., 2 Nov. and Sun., 3 Nov. Szolnoki Olaj defeated Radnicki 101:92, Igokea stopped Union Olimpija 74:61, Cedevita beat Siroki Primorka 85:76, Meg Vizura routed MZT Skopje Aerodrom 101:82, Zadar picked up a road win over Krka 79:80, Partizan NIS stayed on the top of the league with an 80:71 win over Cibona.

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