Crvena Zvezda took a 1-0 lead in the semifinal series by outplaying Mega 103:73 on their home court in the ABA League.
The absence of Uros Plavsic was expected to be a significant handicap for the team, which was on a hot streak and represented the most pleasant surprise of the regional competition. The reigning vice-champion took advantage of this situation, establishing stability in the attack through Joel Bolomboy and then working to build a double-digit lead.
The second quarter brought even greater dominance from Crvena Zvezda. Nikola Topic entered the game, with Milos Teodosic, the second point guard, initiating a real surge for Ioannis Sfairopoulos’s squad. Rokas Giedraitis followed with consecutive points, and the red and white were quickly up by 18. Mega couldn’t do anything in those moments, trailing by 19 points at halftime (52:33).
Mega lacked the strength to bounce back in the third quarter, with Topic playing a role in that. He showcased some of his talent, scoring two three-pointers during that period, and was one of the key players for Crvena Zvezda, who were determined to quickly settle the question of the winner. Even when the visiting team caught their breath before the start of the fourth quarter, the red and whites scored five consecutive points to extend their lead to 23 and calmly awaited the conclusion.
Meanwhile, there was a major setback for the visitors as Stefan Miljenovic seemed to suffer a serious injury. All of this had a demoralizing effect on Mega. In the end, there was no suspense. The runner-up securely and routinely closed the game and opened the series in a dominant fashion.
The top scorers for the winners were Nemanja Nedovic and Rokas Giedraitis, each with 13 points. Nikola Djurisic led the guests with 26.
The next game is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:00 p.m., with Mega hosting. The team that secures two wins will advance to the finals.
On the 3rd of May last year, the worst disaster in modern Serbian history happened. Nine students and a school security guard were killed in a school shooting.
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) May 3, 2024
Crvena Zvezda and Mega wore t-shirts with the victims names before the start of their ABA League semifinals game.#kkcz pic.twitter.com/q3pRADq40l