Cedevita Olimpija continues to struggle this season, with Split emerging victorious this time with a score of 93-85.
The game started at a rapid pace, and the hosts took an early lead of 9-5, prompting Zoran Martic to call a timeout. After the break, Split players capitalized on some lapses, and Cedevita Olimpija missed several opportunities. D. J. Funderburk played a significant role in this quarter, and after a three-pointer from Sasa Kalajzic, the score was 20-15 in favor of the Split. The first quarter of the ABA League game concluded with a score of 25-20.
Shannon Shorter joined the match with a three-pointer, and the home team maintained a constant lead of around five points. Youngster Vito Kucic also scored his first points in the ABA League. The game turned into a shootout, with both teams being very accurate from beyond the three-point line. The lead remained with the hosts, and the first half concluded with a score of 55-47 in favor of Split.
Both teams continued where they left off. The third quarter began with Shorter making an impact, but the visitors didn’t surrender easily. They quickly closed the gap to minus four and even equalized, but it was short-lived as Shorter hit another three-pointer. Toni Perkovic then made a floater to extend the lead to plus five. The American player hit another three, giving Split a double-digit advantage for the first time.
The hosts started the final quarter excellently with four quick points. Slaven Rimac’s team played high-quality basketball in the last quarter, with their leader, Shorter, seemingly doing as he pleased. The guests desperately sought to level the score, even getting within six points with 50 seconds left in the game. However, Toni Perkovic made two crucial free throws, and in the subsequent play, Sullivan scored on a fast break for a ten-point lead. The hosts maintained possession until the end, securing a 93-85 victory.
Shorter was the standout player of the game with 25 points, six rebounds, and eight assists. Funderburk contributed with 14 points. On the other side, Karlo Matkovic recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. D.J. Stewart was his primary companion with 14 points.