2014-15Top 16Round 5
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade 86
ALBA Berlin 69
January 29, 2015 CET: 20:45
Local time: 20:45 PIONIR

Marjanovic's double-double lifts Crvena Zvezda past ALBA

Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade grabbed its first-ever Top 16 win by downing ALBA Berlin 86-69 in Group E in the Serbian capital on Thursday. Zvezda improved to 1-4 while ALBA dropped to 2-3. Boban Marjanovic paced the winners with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Charles Jenkins added 12, Branko Lazic had 10 while Marcus Williams dished 10 assists for the hosts. Jamel McLean led ALBA with 14 points. Reggie Redding and Cliff Hammonds each added 11 for the guests. Nemanja Dangubic and Williams helped Zvezda to an early 13-6 run. A buzzer-beating layup by Jaka Blazic made it a double-digit lead, 22-12, after 10 minutes. Branko Lazic and an outstanding Stefan Jovic fueled a 12-0 run that broke the game open, 40-20. Marjanovic helped Zvezda keep a safe 47-29 margin at halftime. Nothing changed after the break, as Zvezda kept a double-digit lead all the way until the final buzzer.

First quarter: Zvezda gets big lead

Both teams struggled to score early until Jamel McLean banked in a close shot to get ALBA going. Nemanja Dangubic answered from downtown, but McLean nailed a fall-away jumper for a 3-4 score. Dangubic shined with a layup off the baseline and a put-back slam by Luka Mitrovic gave Zvezda a 7-4 lead. Charles Jenkins ignited the crowd with a wild driving layup and a free throw by Marjanovic boosted the hosts' lead to 10-4. Hammonds stepped up with a four-meter jumper, which Marcus Williams bettered with a bomb from downtown. Marko Banic swished his trademark baseline jumper and McLean added an off-balance basket to keep ALBA within 13-10. Mitrovic took over with a put-back basket and a three-point play by Marjanovic gave Zvezda plenty of fresh air at 18-10. After Stevan Jovic scored in transition, Leon Radosevic answered with a driving layup and a buzzer-beating basket by Jaka Blazic restored a 22-12 Zvezda lead after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: 12-0 run breaks the game

Alex King nailed a three-pointer early in the second quarter. Jovic buried a jumper off the dribble and soon scored off a steal to boost Zvezda's margin to 26-15. McLean kept pacing ALBA with a driving basket but a red hot Jovic did better with a corner three-pointer. Neils Giffey answered from downtown, Nikola Kalinic split free throws and Williams nailed another one from beyond the arc to break the game open, 33-20. Blazic made free throws and consecutive fast break baskets by Branko Lazic boosted the hosts' lead to 40-20, after a 12-0 run. Alex Renfroe scored in penetration and free throws by Banic got ALBA closer, 40-24. Marjanovic hit foul shots, Renfroe answered with a driving layup and a three-pointer by Reggie Redding gave ALBA hope at 42-29. Marjanovic stepped up at both ends to improve the hosts' margin to 47-29 at halftime.

Third quarter: ALBA tries, Zvezda keeps lead

McLean took over with a wild dunk in transition immediately after the break. Marjanovic made free throws, Banic scored in the low post but Jenkins quickly answered with a fast break basket for a 51-33 Zvezda margin. Williams found Lazic for a wide open three-pointer, McLean scored around the basket and a fast break layup by Blazic made it a 21-point game, 56-35. Hammonds scored around the basket but Kalinic improved that with a corner triple. King stepped up with a put-back layup and Radosevic kept ALBA within 59-40. Banic sank free throws and a three-pointer by Akeem Vargas made Zvezda call timeout at 59-45, after a 0-8 run. Dangubic buried a six-meter shot, Kalinic and Renfroe traded foul shots and Williams gave Zvezda a 64-47 margin.

Fourth quarter: Zvezda makes history

Jenkins swished a five-meter jumper early in the fourth quarter. Redding tried to change things with a driving layup but Jenkins scored in penetration for a 68-49 Zvezda margin. Dangubic made free throws, as Zvezda started to use longer possessions to run the game clock down. Jenkins and McLean did not miss from the foul line and a dunk by Marjanovic restored a 74-53 Zvezda edge. Kalinic and Hammonds struck from downtown and free throws by Jenkins sealed the outcome, 79-56, midway through the fourth quarter. Redding and Radosevic didn't give up but everything was said and done already. ALBA returned home in need to bounce back while Zvezda had plenty of time to celebrate a truly historical win.

Thursday, January 29, 2015
Euroleague.net

Referees: LAMONICA, LUIGI; KOROMILAS, ELIAS; SHULGA, BORIS
Attendance: 5908
By Quarter1234
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade22251722
ALBA Berlin12171822
End of Quarter1234
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade22476486
ALBA Berlin12294769
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
3 WILLIAMS, MARCUS 32:44 7 0/2 2/5 1/1   3 3 10 1 2   1 2   11
4 REBIC, NIKOLA DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6 DANGUBIC, NEMANJA 21:55 9 2/5 1/3 2/2 1 3 4     1     4 2 5
9 MITROVIC, LUKA 14:47 6 3/4 0/1   2 2 4 2 2 3     4 1 6
10 LAZIC, BRANKO 18:34 10 2/2 2/3           1 1     4 1 6
11 BLAZIC, JAKA 12:23 6 2/3 0/1 2/2 1 1 2   1 2   1 2 3 5
12 KALINIC, NIKOLA 24:47 9 0/1 2/6 3/4   3 3 5 3 2       3 15
13 MARJANOVIC, BOBAN 28:24 17 4/8   9/11 3 9 12         1 2 8 28
15 TEJIC, MARKO 4:03   0/1 0/1                 1     -3
22 JENKINS, CHARLES 25:28 12 4/8 0/2 4/4 1 2 3 4 1     2 2 3 13
24 JOVIC, STEFAN 5:19 9 3/3 1/1         1 2       1   11
33 ZIRBES, MAIK 11:36 1 0/1   1/2 1   1   1   1   2 2 2
Team           1   1               1
Totals 200:00 86 20/38 8/23 22/26 10 23 33 22 12 11 1 6 23 23 100
        52.6% 34.8% 84.6%
Head coach: RADONJIC, DEJAN
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
ALBA Berlin
  Rebounds Blocks Fouls
# Player Min Pts 2FG 3FG FT O D T As St To Fv Ag Cm Rv PIR
5 GIFFEY, NIELS 12:04 3   1/1   1 2 3     2     3   1
7 KING, ALEX 25:12 5 1/1 1/4   2 1 3 2 1       1 1 8
9 TABU, JONATHAN 13:24   0/2 0/2 0/2           2     1 4 -5
11 VARGAS, AKEEM 11:22 6   2/2           1       3   4
13 BANIC, MARKO 16:33 8 2/5   4/4 2 1 3 2     1   4 3 10
15 REDDING, REGGIE 29:42 9 2/8 1/1 2/2   4 4 1   2 2   1 1 8
19 STOJANOVSKI, VOJDAN DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
20 RENFROE, ALEX 27:15 6 2/4 0/1 2/2 2 6 8 4 1 7     1 5 13
25 HAMMONDS, CLIFF 22:04 11 3/4 1/1 2/2 1 1 2 3   2 1   4 6 16
33 MCLEAN, JAMEL 20:34 14 6/12   2/2 1 3 4 2   2 1   3 2 12
43 RADOSEVIC, LEON 21:50 7 3/10   1/2   6 6   2 1 1 1 3 1 4
Team           3 2 5               5
Totals 200:00 69 19/46 6/12 13/16 12 26 38 14 5 18 6 1 24 23 76
        41.3% 50% 81.3%
Head coach: OBRADOVIC, SASA

Head Coaches

RADONJIC, DEJAN
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade
"Congratulations to all my players for that win. It is very important to us after four losses in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague. We played an excellent game. In the first half our terrific defense gave us self confidence. We also were pushed by our fans and that was what we needed. Stefan Jovic is slightly injured and is questionable for the next game with Zalgiris."
OBRADOVIC, SASA
ALBA Berlin
"I do not remember when I was in an atmosphere like this. It is so nice to play basketball in front of that great audience. Crvena Zveyda Telekom deserved the win. The first period decided the entire game. We were not concentrated and we failed to control the game. We had so many turnovers. My players were struggling, but we can play better. I think my players were victims of the atmosphere here in Pionir Arena. ALBA is in the Top 16 phase to learn. We have much to learn. Again, congratulation to host for the win."

Players

KALINIC, NIKOLA
Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade
"I think that our toughness was the key. We played tonight the way we wanted to play in other games - very tough, with great defense. Our defense allowed us to get a lot of easy points. I think that is the key. We made a statement early in the game and after that, it was just keeping the difference, so I think our toughness and defense helped us win."