Once again, the Budućnost Voli basketball players found themselves in the midst of a thrilling basketball drama, this time unexpectedly following a dominant first half at the “Ratiofarm Arena” in Ulm.

Similar to their match against Hapoel last week, Andrej Žakelj’s team claimed victory in this dramatic encounter, edging out Ulm with an 85:82 win in the 16th round of the Eurocup, bringing them a step closer to playoff qualification.

This marked Budućnost’s first win at the “Ratiofarm Arena” in four years, arriving at a crucial moment as the Montenegrin champions strive for playoff advancement in European competition. Following tonight’s game, Buducnost stands at 8-8, sharing this record with the Wolves, who unexpectedly triumphed over Gran Canaria at home (88:76). Both Ulm and Besiktas have one additional win. In the upcoming round, Buducnost will host Juventud at “Morača”.

With four minutes and 38 seconds remaining, Buducnost held a 77:72 lead, but Ulm managed an 8:0 run over nearly two minutes, taking the lead for the first time since the first quarter at 80:77. Ferel then brought it down to 80:79, and as the final minute approached, the hosts had a three-point edge at 82:79.

However, in the last minute, the “blues” tightened their defense—Wright sank both free throws (82:81), and Sulajmon scored on a fast break, converting an additional free throw (82:84). Following a German timeout, Tanasković executed stellar defense, compelling Jessup to attempt a challenging shot, which he missed, allowing Sulajmon to seal the game from the free-throw line (82:85). Despite an opportunity to level the game, Ulm’s efforts were thwarted by Budućnost’s solid defense once again.

After the first 20 minutes, the prospect of drama seemed unlikely in the “Ratiofarm Arena.” The initial minutes belonged to Ulm, who took a 5:0 lead, and later led 12:9 following Herkenhof’s points. But Buducnost quickly found their rhythm, launching an impressive 11:0 run to take a 20:12 lead, and after a three-pointer from Megi, they extended their advantage to double digits for the first time at 23:13.

Ulm attempted to mount a comeback in the second quarter, narrowing the gap to six points, but every effort was thwarted by Wright and Sulajmon. Buducnost responded with a 7:0 run, ultimately achieving a maximum lead of 17 points at 53:36.

At halftime, Buducnost held a 15-point lead (56:41), but the second half saw a decline in their performance. Ulm rapidly scored seven points in two minutes of the third quarter, closing the gap to 56:48, and Buducnost only managed to maintain a double-digit lead on two occasions thereafter (58:48 and 70:60).

At the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth, Ulm applied pressure with a 7:0 run, all seven points coming from Esenge, reducing Buducnost’s lead to just one point at 71:70.

It became clear that the “blues” would find themselves embroiled in yet another tense finish. With 4:38 remaining, Buducnost held a 77:72 lead, surrendered it to Ulm, but clawed back to secure yet another crucial victory in this gripping contest.

For Buducnost, Sulajmon was the standout performer with 27 points. Wright contributed 18 points, while Kamenjaš added 12.

On the opposing side, Esenge led Ulm with 19 points, followed by Saraf (14 points) and Plummer (10 points).

ULM – BUDUĆNOST VOLI 82:85 (16:27, 25:29, 27:15, 14:14)

Location: Ulm – “Ratiofarm Arena”. Attendance: 5,148. Referees: Shemesh (Israel), Bizuel (France), and Manuel (Spain).

Ulm: Vajdeman 2, SANTOS 7 (2-2), Jensen, Plamer 10 (2-2), DŽESAP 8 (2-1), ESENGE 19 (12-8), Brecel, Herkenhof 6 (4-1), Robi 7, Anigbata, JALOU 9 (4-3), SARAF 14 (6-4).

Budućnost Voli: MORGAN 2, SULAJMON 27 (8-7), Ilic, Megi 3, SLAVKOVIĆ 5 (1-1), Tanasković 2 (4-2), Ferel 9 (2-2), Jovanović (2-0), Drežnjak, Omic 7 (6-3), WRIGHT 18 (4-3), KAMENJAŠ 12.

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