Zadar secured a victory in a thrilling game against FMP in the ABA Super Cup match for placements from fifth to eighth place, with a final score of 77-71.
Zadar had a strong start to the game, with a remarkable 24-0 run in the first quarter, led by the outstanding performance of Lovro Mazalin. In the second quarter, FMP began to stabilize and reduce the lead that Zadar had built. At one point, Dalmatian team had a 20-point advantage, but by halftime, Zadar’s lead was reduced to “only” 11 points.
FMP made a complete comeback, mainly thanks to the excellent contributions of Jordan Walker and Luka Asceric. However, Lovro Mazalin played his best when it was needed most in the final quarter, and Zadar deservedly emerged victorious with a score of 77-71.
The standout player of the match was the aforementioned Mazalin, who scored 26 points, while Arijan Lakic added 14 points. In the FMP team, Walker and Asceric stood out with 16 points each.
First half
Danijel Jusup’s team had a strong start to the game, while FMP faced offensive difficulties. Zadar began the game with a 14-5 lead, prompting Nenad Stefanovic to call a timeout. Lovro Mazalin started the game with nine points, and Karlo Zganec capped off a 14-0 run with free throws.
Zadar didn’t let up. Adem Mekic hit two three-pointers, and Stefanović called his second timeout of the game. Finally, Luka Asceric made a mid-range shot to end Zadar’s impressive 24-0 run. After the first quarter, the score was 32-12 in favor of Zadar.
FMP managed to stabilize in the second quarter. They started hitting their shots, and, more importantly, they began playing solid defense. They narrowed the deficit to 9 points after Bojan Subotic’s basket. However, Zadar maintained a double-digit lead, going into halftime with a score of 45-34.
Second half
FMP had a strong start to the second half. They went on a 5-0 run, but the excellent Lovro Mazalin hit a shot under a foul and converted the free throw. Jordan Walker then had his 7-0 run, bringing the deficit down to just seven points. The team from Zeleznik managed to make a complete comeback into the game. The combination of Watson and Walker was impactful, reducing FMP’s deficit to just one point after being down by 20. FMP won this quarter 26-16, and the score was 61-60 in favor of the team from the Adriatic coast going into the final quarter.
The team from Zeleznik tied the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Mario Lakic immediately regained the lead for Zadar after a fast break. FMP finally took the lead after free throws by Nate Watson, and tension was palpable throughout this quarter. Mazalin had four opportunities from the free-throw line to regain the lead for Zadar but missed three times. Fortunately for him, he scored after an offensive rebound and then made a layup in transition. Unfortunately, Saranovic got injured towards the end, but Zadar managed to maintain its lead and deservedly won the game.
FMP-ZADAR 71:77 (12:32, 22:13, 26:16, 11:16)
Arena: Moraca, Podgorica
Referees: Majkic, Porobic,Popovic.
Zadar: Mazalin 26, Lakic 14, Jambrovic 9, Mekic 8, Ramljak 8 , Zganec 7, Klarica 3, Sikiric, Grbic, Njegovan
FMP: Asceric 16, Walker 16, Subotic 11, Watson 10, Saranovic 4, Stepanovic 4, Matovic 3, Pavicevic 3, Zivanovic 2, Simovic, Turner