Zvevda avenges loss to Partizan, reaches first-place game

U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade booked a spot in the first-place game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade by streaking past city rival U18 Partizan NIS Belgrade 64-80 in Group A. Filip Brankovic collected 22 points and 9 rebounds for the 2014 U18 continental champion, which gets back to the first-place game after losing in the final group stage game last season to Partizan. Ognjen Matovic scored 13 points, Filip Radakovic had 12 and Nikola Saranovic chipped in 8 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists for Zvezda. Partizan, which took first-place at last season’s ANGT Belgrade, lost despite Dordije Jovanovic scoring 13 points and Srdan Popovic and Mihailo Petrovic both picking up 10 points.

Partizan had troubles scoring early on, going more than 3 minutes with just one basket while Radakovic had two baskets for a 4-11 lead. Zvezda then failed to score for 4 minutes to allow Partizan get within 9-13. A Vladimir Pavlovic three-point play gave the host side the lead 11-18 after 10 minutes. Nikola Topic picked up six points as Zvezda extended the margin to 17-26. Partizan was able to pull within 22-26 but Brankovic scored four points and Radakovic drained a three-pointer and converted an and-one to make it 30-39 at the break.

Zvezda came out with the first six points of the second half as the advantage grew to 15 points - 30-45. Jovanovic buried two triples to get Partizan within 38-47 only to see Saranovic hit one from deep and Matovic knock down two three-pointers in a 5-13 surge for a 43-60 lead. And Aleksandar Topalovic even made it a 20-point gap 47-67 just before the end of the third quarter, which ended 48-67. Partizan picked up the first four points of the final frame but Matovic had five points in a 0-9 run over more than 3 minutes to make it 52-76 with 6 minutes left. Partizan was not able to get closer than 16 points the rest of the way.