Mega defeated Zadar 91-81, as they came close to overcoming a 19-point deficit in the ABA League’s sixth round.
Led by Nikola Topic and Uros Plavsic, Mega had a strong start to the match, taking a 7-2 lead. There were also good defensive reactions, and Timotej Malovec’s three-pointer concluded an excellent offensive sequence, making it 14-6 for the home team. Marko Barac’s team continued at the same pace, and after a timeout from the Croatian side, they finished the first 10 minutes with a 26-17 lead.”
Mega began the second quarter with the same success, and after Topic’s three-pointer, they reached a double-digit lead for the first time. Barac’s team continued their very good performance, and by the end of the half, they had extended their lead to a maximum of 19 points. Topic and Plavsic maintained the pace from the opening quarter until halftime, which was enough for the home team to go into the break with a comfortable lead.”
“Mega staged a comeback towards the end
The situation began to change as time went on. Zadar started playing much more aggressively, but it didn’t pay off until the very end of the third quarter. At that point, with a furious run in just two minutes, they reduced the 16-point deficit to just five, significantly complicating the showdown heading into the final 10 minutes.
Marko Ramljak was accurate from beyond the arc at the start of the fourth quarter, bringing the score to minus two. Following that, Dario Dreznjak and Arijan Lakic inflicted more damage to their opponent in a similar fashion, putting Zadar ahead 70-68. It seemed like the Croatian team was closer to victory at that point, but the tandem of Topic and Plavsic took responsibility. Mega’s playmaker turned the tide with consecutive free throws, and Plavšić sealed the game with four straight points. That was the end of it, as Ramljak received a technical foul, leaving no hope for Zadar.
Topic and Plavsic were the top scorers for the winners with 27 and 23 points, while Dreznjak led the visitors with 26 points.”