Cibona defeated Mornar 73:72 in the sixth round of the ABA League, securing their first win in the regional competition.
Mornar had a slightly better start to the game, with Alex Gavrilovic being the standout player. He scored 14 out of Mornar’s first 15 points. On the other side, Kresimir Radovcic shined for Cibona, helping them stay within two points at the end of the first quarter, with a score of 20:18.
Mornar maintained a decent lead for most of the second quarter, but Cibona managed to close the gap to just two possessions at halftime, with a score of 39:33, thanks to a 6-0 run at the end of the quarter.
The beginning of the third quarter was disastrous for Mihailo Pavicevic’s team, as they took over four and a half minutes to score their first points. Cibona went on a 12-0 run, taking control of the match with a 45:39 lead. However, Mornar, led by the excellent Tay Waller, managed to cut the deficit to just four points before the final 10 minutes, with a score of 58:54.
Tay Waller continued to shine in the fourth quarter, hitting five consecutive three-pointers, helping Mornar take the lead at 67:65. A three-pointer by Alex Stein and Gavrilovic’s fifth personal foul allowed Cibona to regain the momentum in the final two minutes of the game, leading 72:67. In the closing moments, Dwight Murray had the opportunity to tie the game with free throws, but he only made one, allowing the home team to secure their first win of the season by 73:72.
The most efficient player for Cibona was Tomislav Buljan with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Alex Gavrilovic stood out with 18 points for Mornar.
Cibona secured their first win of the season, while Mornar suffered their fifth loss. Both teams currently have a 1-5 record.
In the next round, the team from Zagreb will face Krka on the road, while Mornar will take on Mega.