Zadar secured a win over Split by 82:75 in the opening match of the eighth round of the ABA League, led by the outstanding performance of Luka Bozic.
Zadar performed much better in the second half, securing their fourth win of the season, while Split remained with only one triumph.
The visitors had the unstoppable Luka Bozic in their ranks, recording a triple-double with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was accompanied by Dario Dreznjak with 16 points, and Karlo Zganec contributed 13 points.
For Split, Lewis Sullivan scored 15 points, Boris Tisma had 12, and Kresimir Ljubicic and Shannon Shorter each added 10 points.
The first quarter unfolded in a tough, contact-heavy game where points were hard to come by. Zadar had a nine-point lead until the end when they managed to find their rhythm, leading 16:14 after the initial 10 minutes.
The home team started the second quarter more efficiently on the offensive end, achieving their largest lead of 25:19. However, last year’s ABA League MVP, Luka Bozic, took matters into his own hands, leading his team to a comeback and a 32:21 lead.
Then, Shannon Shorter from the home team stepped up, guiding his team and being the main force behind the turnaround, as Split took the lead at halftime with a score of 42:35.
The third quarter was marked by the visiting team. Once again, they reversed the score, led by Bozic, and had the opportunity to extend their lead to eight points. However, in the last possession, they lost the ball, and Split, through a fast break finished by Mate Kalajzic, managed to reduce the deficit to 60:56.
Dario Dreznjak joined the outstanding Božić, and after his points, Zadar went on to an eight-point lead midway through the final quarter. Despite the home team’s efforts to close the gap, they were unable to succeed, resulting in a win for Danijel Jusup’s team.