Studentski centar has advanced to the semi-finals of the ABA Super Cup after convincingly defeating FMP 93-75.
After a slightly weaker start in the middle of the first quarter, the Studentski centar gained momentum and didn’t stop until the end of the first half. Their 10-point lead from fast breaks indicated that the team from Podgorica took advantage of their opponent’s turnovers during that period, and this, along with their rebounding advantage in the first 10 minutes, was the main reason for the Montenegrin team’s double-digit lead.
The beginning of the third quarter also belonged to the home team. The same pattern, the same distance – this is the best way to describe that part of the game, after which Studentski centar maintained a comfortable lead and calmly entered the fourth quarter. In that quarter, the Montenegrin team was even more accurate in shooting, extending their lead to plus 24 and comfortably closing out the match.
The top scorers for the winners were Nikola Pavlicevic, Aubrey Dawkins, and Tomislav Ivisic, each with 13 points. Nate Watson led the defeated team with 15 points.
In the next stage, Studentski centar will face Buducnost, who defeated Zadar.
First half
Lamonte Turner scored some points, but all things considered, he had a rough start to this duel. He turned the ball over a few times, which resulted in direct points for the opposing team. The “Panthers” had a slight edge in the opening minutes, but from the middle of the first quarter, the Studentski centar dictated the rhythm of the game. Riding on strong transition play, the “students” built a double-digit lead by the end of the first half and took control.
With a 5-0 run, the team from Podgorica opened the second quarter and quickly established a significant lead. The Montenegrin team dominated on the boards, and even the fact that the opposing team reached the bonus quickly didn’t help. The Studentski centar’s lead grew minute by minute, prompting FMP to try changing their strategy with a zone defense. However, it didn’t yield results. Nevertheless, the “Panthers” woke up on the offensive end, although it was not enough to reduce the deficit to single digits before halftime.
Second half
The Studentski centar didn’t let up in the continuation of the game; they remained equally aggressive. Nate Watson was one of the few players in the FMP lineup who found his rhythm, but he couldn’t threaten the opponent consistently. Occasionally, Nenad Stefanovic’s team would disrupt Podgorica’s rhythm with short bursts of play, but without much success. In the third quarter, the Montenegrin team was still superior, maintaining a comfortable 16-point lead in the final 10 minutes.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Andrej Zakelj’s team extended their lead to 20 points, making it clear that a comeback for the opposing team would be difficult. The Studentski centar’s sharpshooting further buried their opponent, securing their place among the top four teams in the tournament in a convincing manner.
FMP – STUDENTSKI CENTAR 75:93 (15:24, 18:22, 18:23, 22:24)
Arena: Moraca, Podgorica;
Referees: Kardum, Majkic, Porobic.
FMP: Watson 15, Zivanovic 5, Turner 9, Subotic 11, Pavićevic, Stepanovic 3, Walker 11, Saranovic 10, Simovic 8, Matovic, Vukovic, Asceric 3.
Student center: Bogavac 5, Pavlicevic 13, Vukeljic 6, Hadzibegovic 2, Bacovic, Ivisic 13, Dawkins 13, Drobnjak 9, Dreznjak 11, Kamenjas 10, Kapusta, Mirkovic 10.