Adriatic League: Buducnost stays top
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica strengthened its position at the top of the Adriatic League on Sunday with an overtime win over Sutjeska Niksic at home. Cedevita Zagreb continued to lead the chasing pack, the Croatian team defeating Partizan NIS Belgrade at home. In the other contest during the evening, Tajfun took out MZT Skopje to ensure a clean sweep of home successes on Sunday in the ABA.
Buducnost VOLI Podgorica vs. Sutjeska Niksic, 89-87OT
Top played bottom in the Adriatic League on Sunday as Buducnost topped Sutjeska to move to 10-2 on its own at the top of the standings. The hosts needed overtime to complete the victory, and ironically this was one of Sutjeska’s best performances of the season, despite the loss. The Montenegrin team now sits on a 3-9 record.
The all-Montenegro clash saw plenty of heroic display, especially from Buducnost power forward Tadija Dragicevic, who doubled up with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Sead Sehovic also grabbed a double-double of 17 points and 10 boards in the winning effort. Drasko Albijanic and Nemanja Vranjes led Sutjeska with 17 points apiece.
Tajfun vs. MZT Skopje, 68-62
Tajfun collected a home victory at the expense of MZT Skopje to move to 5-7 and a share of 8th place in the 2015/2016 Adriatic League, while Skopje slips to 11th with a 4-8 record. The hosts opened a 17-15 lead through ten minutes, but in the second frame MZT responded to take a one point lead through halftime, 31-32. In the third act Tajfun gathered all the momentum with an 18-10 winning period that wrestled the lead and the impetus. Buoyed by a game high 19 points and 8 rebounds from Tomaz Bolcina, the hosts cruised to victory in the fourth.
Cedevita Zagreb vs. Partizan NIS Belgrade, 75-72
Cedevita edged Partizan in Zagreb to keep the pressure on Buducnost at the top of the ABA, the Croatians holding a 9-3 record in a share for second place. Serbian heavyweight Partizan is having another season to forget and slips to joint 11th (4-8). The visitors led 49-52 through thirty minutes on the hardwood, but roared on by the Zagreb crowd, the hosts surged in the fourth with a 26-20 winning run that completed Cedevita’s win. Miro Bilan topped the winners with 14 points, while Kevin Jones netted a game high 21 points for Partizan.