Zvezda cruises to stay perfect

Defending champion Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade allowed just eight points in the second quarter in coasting to a 62-80 victory over Mega Leks Belgrade at the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT. Stefan Kenic scored 17 points to lead Crvena Zvezda, which went 3-0 in Group A, and will play in the semifinals later on Saturday. Borisa Simanic added 12 points, Aleksandar Aranitovic and Nikola Popovic both scored 10 points in the win. Mega Leks finished last in Group A with an 0-3 record despite Jovan Vojinovic scoring 11 points, Vukadin Milicevic and Srdan Janketic adding 10 points and Luka Vulikic chipping in nine points, six rebounds and six assists.

Mega went ahead 5-0 on a three by Milicevic and layup by Novak Music. Crvena Zvezda answered with the next five points before Vulikic’s score made it 9-5. Zvezda shut down Mega for the next three minutes and a three-point play from Aleksa Radanov had the reigning champion up 9-14. Music hit from downtown to trim the deficit to two points but it was 14-22 after Kenic knocked down a trey and Vojislav Stojanovic’s free throw. Mega answered with six straight points - four by Milicevic - to make it 20-22. Zvezda led 20-24 after 10 minutes. Simanic started the second quarter with a three-pointer and Popovic scored two baskets to push the lead to 22-31. Stojanovic and Simanic added three-balls as the gap grew to 24-39. And it was 26-46 after an Aranitovic three-pointer and four Zvezda free throws. The lead was 28-46 at the break.

Janketic opened the second half with two free throws for Mega to make it 30-46 only to see Popovic convert a three-point to push the margin to 30-51. Mega continued to fight as Vulikic scored two baskets and Luka Vukojicic nailed a triple, trimming the deficit to 37-52. After Nikola Rakicevic pushed the cushion back to 38-57, Uros Plavsic scored two baskets off the bench to trim it to 44-57, which was also the score after 30 minutes. Milicevic’s three-point play early in the fourth quarter had the margin down to 47-59. But Nemanja Kapetanovic drained a three-pointer to start an 0-7 run for a 47-66 cushion. Mega had one more push as Vojinovic hit two free throws to make it 55-68 with less than five minutes to play. Zvezda just had too many weapons, though, as Kenic hit a layup and three-ball for a 55-73 cushion and Mega did not get any closer the rest of the way.