Crvena Zvezda was defeated by Maccabi 112-109 after two overtimes in the first match of the preseason tournament in Cyprus.
Dusko Ivanovic’s team played without Milos Teodosic and Shabazz Napier, who did not travel with the team.
In the first 20 minutes, the team from Mali Kalemegdan showed two faces. First, where the opponent couldn’t find a way to the basket and struggled to stay in the game, and second, where the defense was breaking down on all sides. When it all balanced out, the result was satisfactory. The Red and Whites did not fall far behind despite conceding 31 points in the second quarter, with Luka Mitrovic being the standout player with 15 points.
Crvena Zvezda stumbled in the end.
In the third quarter, Maccabi threatened to take a more substantial lead, but it was Mitrovic who shook up the Serbian team with his entry, and the teams exchanged leads at those moments. The Israelis built a nine-point lead towards the end, but Nemanja Nedovic hit four consecutive three-pointers, leading to a dramatic finish. Lorenzo Brown missed the game-winning three-pointer, forcing overtime.
In the additional five minutes, it seemed that Maccabi’s offensive rebounds had made the difference until the Israelis fouled Yago dos Santos, giving the Belgrade team a chance to tie the game. And they did. Neither team managed to find a winner, so a second overtime was played.
In the second overtime, Zvezda lacked the defensive prowess to counter Maccabi, who built a two-possession lead, which Ivanovic’s men reduced to a three-point deficit. Adam Hanga then had a chance to tie the game but struggled in a very difficult situation.
On Saturday, Crvena Zvezda will play another game in the tournament. They will face Zalgiris at 15:45.
First Half
In the early stages of the game, once again, the defense of the Crvena Zvezda came to the forefront, much like in the tournament in Munich against Alba. The team led by Dusko Ivanovic had to rely on it, primarily due to the absence of two top-notch attackers, Milos Teodosic and Shabazz Napier. Even in such a matchup, team from Belgrade ended the opening quarter with a plus seven, conceding only 13 points.
However, things started to change dramatically as the game progressed. Once Maccabi found its rhythm, they rode on that wave of confidence for a long time. Crvena Zvezda lost its grip on the defensive end in the second quarter, as the Israelis poured in points from all directions. With a 16:6 run, the multiple-time European champions turned the game around, so the teams went into halftime with a minimal advantage for Oded Kattash’s squad.
Second Half
Neither team shone at the start of the third quarter. Maccabi managed to find their footing better, while Crvena zvezda appeared to be without solutions. Roman Sorkin troubled the Red and Whites with quick plays and scoring, but that changed with the return of Luka Mitrovic. Ivanovic’s team quickly narrowed the deficit with him on the court, but Yago dos Santos missed multiple opportunities to punish the opponent and capitalize on the momentum.
It was a period of good play by Crvena Zvezda, but it didn’t last. Nemanja Bjelica entered a state of nervousness in the fourth quarter, receiving a technical foul, and Bonzie Colson found his groove in the meantime. Maccabi then went up by nine, and victory seemed close. However, a 7-0 run by the Red and Whites, capped by a three-pointer from Nemanja Nedovic, turned the tide. Nedovic hit three more threes, found his rhythm completely, and brought his team close to victory. The scoreboard read 84-84 when Rokas Giedraitis missed a three-pointer for the lead with just over 10 seconds left. Lorenzo Brown got his revenge in the next play, forcing the game into overtime.
In that phase of the game, the Israeli team was slightly ahead. Dos Santos neutralized that advantage with two free throws, giving Maccabi a chance to score for the win. However, they couldn’t capitalize, and Crvena Zvezda subsequent attack also failed, leading to a second overtime.
It turned out that Katash’s team had more energy to close out the game. They inflicted damage on their opponent through shooting and fast breaks, ultimately outplaying them after 50 minutes of play.