U18 Spars Sarajevo locked up a spot in the semi-finals of the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Qualifying Tournament - Marko Ivkovic Belgrade by fending off U18 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica 80-96 to take second place in Group A. Amar Gegic collected a triple-double with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists to go with 6 blocks and 2 steals for a PIR of 47 as Spars improved to 2-1 in the group. Sani Campara nailed 6 three-pointers for 26 points and 5 assists while Aleksa Stepanovic chipped in with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Srdan Kocic had 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Buducnost, which was playing without top playmaker Ognjen Carapic, dropped to 0-3 despite Milos Popovic picking up 36 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Vujovic scoring 13 points and Filip Nikcevic adding 8 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists.

Popovic opened the scoring with a put-back and Igor Drobnjak’s three-pointer made it 5-0. Stepanovic’s three-point play put Spars on the board and 2 baskets from Gegic gave the Bosnian club its first lead 5-7. The lead switched hands 3 times and Buducnost was leading 14-9 after a triple from Nikola Vujovic. Campara hit 7 straight points for Spars before Stepanovic trimmed the deficit to 19-18. Milos Vujovic responded with 2 baskets to keep Buducnost in front 23-22 after 10 minutes. Stepanovic’s put-back pushed Spars back ahead to start the second quarter. Popovic evened the game at 24-24, but Buducnost could not get in front as it was held to 2 free throws in a 3-minute stretch and Stepanovic put the Spars up 26-31. Nikola Vujovic got Buducnost to within 31-33 before Srdan Kocic’s free throw gave Spars a 34-40 advantage. Buducnost tried to stay close with Popovic’s put-back making it 39-42. But Spars answered that with a 2-9 run for the first double digit lead 41-51. The gap was 44-52 at intermission.

Nikola Vujovic’s free throw started the second half but Amar Tiganj’s three-pointer increased the margin to 45-57. Buducnost was able to keep Spars scoreless for nearly 3 minutes with Popovic cutting the gap to 52-57. But Kocic and Gegic nailed back-to-back three-pointers and Spars was leading 54-63. Gegic was again on target from long range and Campara knocked down 3 more triples to keep Buducnost at an arm’s length 65-79. And the lead was 67-79 after 30 minutes. Slavkovic opened the fourth quarter with a long ball but Buducnost failed to score for the next 3 minutes and another Campara long ball made it 70-84 with 7 minutes to play. Nikcevic trimmed the margin to 12 points but Stepanovic was there to hit from outside and the cushion was 74-89 halfway through the quarter.