Following an exciting game against Juventud, the Budućnost Voli faced a challenging matchup with Zadar. Despite the difficulties, the outcome remained consistent—highlighting the resilience of the Budućnost Voli basketball squad this season, as they continue to secure wins even in tough circumstances.

The “Blue and White” extended their impressive streak in the AdmiralBet ABA League with a hard-fought yet deserved victory, led by the stellar performance of Rashid Sulajmon, finishing 84:77 in the 19th round of the regional competition.

This victory marked the tenth consecutive win for Andrej Žakelj’s team in the ABA League and the 13th out of their last 14 matches, including the Eurocup.

It appears that amidst their series of games and victories, a challenging match was inevitable, yet the Podgorica team demonstrated no signs of setbacks this season.

The first half revealed just how much effort the “blue and white” had to exert to secure a win; there were significant issues with offensive rebounds and turnovers from the opposition, with Tyler Wall proving particularly troublesome, shooting without a miss (6-6) during that stretch.

Zadar initially took a 27:22 lead just three minutes into the second quarter, prompting Budućnost’s response—McKinley Wright and Djordjije Jovanovic led a rally, while Dzuvan Morgan sank a three-pointer to push the score to 34:27.

Buducnost briefly led by nine points (38:29), but Zadar fought back to close the gap at 40:39. However, Rashid Sulajmon’s impressive foul shot allowed Buducnost to head into halftime with a three-point lead (42:39).

Sulajmon consistently propelled Budućnost throughout the third quarter. When Vladimir Mihailović sank a three-pointer giving Zadar a 59:58 advantage, it appeared the game would become even more challenging for Budućnost Voli.

Nonetheless, Kenan Kamenjaš quickly made a decisive impact, traveling the full court for a dunk, while Wright and Fletcher Magee answered back with three-pointers. This surge brought the “blue and white” to a 10-0 run, concluding the quarter at 68:59.

Entering the final quarter, the score stood at 70:59, but Zadar remained relentless, narrowing the score to 70:68.

However, Sulajmon had different ideas for the evening—he elevated his game yet again, contributing two crucial three-pointers to finish with a total of 24 points, ultimately sealing the victory and maintaining Budućnost’s position atop the league.

With this win, Andrej Žakelj’s squad approaches their pivotal Eurocup match against Wolves in Vilnius in high spirits, and afterward, they will confront Red Star Belgrade, the ABA League champions, seeking their 11th consecutive victory.

Budućnost Voli – Zadar 84:77 (18:19, 24:20, 26:20, 16:18)

Podgorica – “Morača” Hall. Attendance: 1,600. Referees: Koljenšić (Montenegro), Gracin (Croatia), Tomić (Serbia).

Budućnost Voli: MORGAN 6, SULAJMON 24 (3-2), Ilic, Megi 3, SLAVKOVIĆ 2, Tanasković 2, FEREL 8 (2-2), Jovanović 7 (3-3), Drežnjak, Omic 2, Wright 17 (2-2), KAMENJAŠ 13 (5-5).

Zadar: MIHAILOVIĆ 15 (6-5), Kalajžić, VOL 18 (3-2), Klarica 17 (2-1), Proleta 2, ŽGANEC 4 (2-1), MAZALIN 10 (2-0), Dundović, GILBERT 11, Torbarina.

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