“Buducnost Triumphs Over Partizan Again, Secures 1st Place!”
In four encounters with Euroleague teams, Budućnost Voli secured three victories and suffered one defeat that could have been avoided with fair officiating. Anyone questioning Budućnost’s potential for greatness received yet another reminder of their capabilities in the intense atmosphere of the M:tel Hall “Morača”.
Andrej Žakelj’s impressive squad solidified their triumph in Belgrade with an even more significant victory in Podgorica, defeating Partizan 81:77 with a solid performance full of excitement.
The “blue and white” team stands alone at the top with three rounds left in the Admiralbet ABA League, boasting one more victory than the “black and white” and a superior head-to-head record. This affords them the advantage of potentially losing one match and still maintaining first place.
During the second quarter, Budućnost began to establish a significant lead, with standout performances from players like the highly entertaining Juvan Morgan, Yogi Ferrell, Nikola Tanasković, Rashid Sulajmon, Kenan Kamenja, and Fletcher Magee. When leadership was needed at the end, McKinley Wright stepped up once again.
His scoring and assists, including two layups for Morgan, carried Budućnost to a substantial victory.
While the future looks bright at the top, there’s still much to accomplish. However, the performances this season suggest this team possesses the drive to go all the way, echoing their triumph in 2018 as regional champions.
THE FUTURE LOVES – PARTISAN 81:77 (21:20, 22:13, 25:24, 13:20)
Location: Podgorica – M:tel Hall “Morača”. Attendance: 5,200. Referees: Nedović, Majkić (Slovenia), Kardum (Croatia).
Buducnost Voli: Morgan 14 (3-3), SADJAMON 9 (3-3), Ilić, Megi 7, Slavković, TANASKOVIĆ 8 (3-2), Ferrell 11, JOVANOVIĆ 3, Drežnjak 2, Omić 2 (2-2), Wright 17 (6-6), Kamenja 8 (3-2).
Partizan: DAVIS 13 (8-6), Lundberg 5, K. Jones 23 (8-6), NIKILINA 3, Washington, Koprivica, MARINKOVIĆ 11 (1-1), Pokuševski 2, BONGA 7, LAKIĆ, Mike 5 (2-1), T. Jones 8.