Megi Seals Victory for the “Blues” with Penalty Shootout Win Over Hapoel
Nikola Tanasković at the match tonight, Photo: KK Budućnost Voli
A significant victory in “Morača” catapults the Buducnost Voli team into the playoff zone following this round. The “blues” defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv in the 15th round of the Eurocup, winning 84:83 and securing a crucial victory in their playoff quest.
The standout of the game was Fletcher Magee, who was fouled on a three-point attempt with just 4.4 seconds remaining. He converted all three free throws, clinching a vital win for his team.
Once again, the Montenegrin champions exhibited resilience, coming back from a 13-point deficit and not backing down until the final whistle. Buducnost redeemed some of their earlier losses this season, placing them in a great position with a current record of 7-8 in the playoff zone, sharing the same score as the Wolves, whom Buducnost had previously overwhelmed in “Morača” with a 104:77 victory.
photo: Sofascore
Buducnost will face the Wolves away in the final round, and prior to that, they have matches against Ulm away and Juventud at home. The Lithuanian team will host Gran Canaria and travel to Trento before the last round.
Hapoel started strong with an 8-0 run in the first quarter, establishing an 18-10 lead. However, Buducnost, with contributions from Sulajmon and Tanasković, closed the gap, tying the game at 22-22 after Jovanovic’s three-pointer. A subsequent three-pointer from Magee gave the “blues” their first lead at 32-30.
During this period, Buducnost mostly held the lead, at one point expanding it to four points, and then to a maximum of five points with Sulajmon’s latest contribution making it 42-37.
The first half was highlighted by Tanasković, who scored 14 points without making a field goal. After his points, Buducnost led 49-48 but went into halftime trailing when Ragland scored at the buzzer (50-49).
The second half began with points from Kamenjaš, giving Buducnost their last lead (51-50) until Magee’s free throw at the end. Hapoel then surged ahead with an 11-0 run, and after Madar hit a three-pointer, they took a double-digit lead for the first time at 61-51.
Another three-pointer by Madar at the start of the fourth quarter extended Hapoel’s advantage to a maximum of 13 points at 73-60. Nevertheless, Buducnost rallied back, closing the gap to three points (82-79) with only 18 seconds left after a three-pointer by Magee and a point from Wright. Madar then scored a free throw to make it 83-79, but Sulajmon brought Buducnost back to 83-81.
When Wainwright was fouled but missed both free throws, Buducnost capitalized on their opportunity to secure the win, igniting celebrations.
Sulajmon was Buducnost’s top scorer with 19 points, followed by Tanasković with 14 (all in the first half) and Wright with 11.
On the opposing side, Kaboklo led with 16 points. Ginat (15), Motli (15), and Madar (11) also reached double figures.
Buducnost Voli – Hapoel Tel Aviv 84:83 (24:27, 25:23, 11:17, 24:16)
Podgorica – SC “Morača”. Attendance: 4,100. Referees: Perez (Spain), Bitner (Germany) and Picilkas (Greece).
Buducnost Voli: MORGAN 9 (7-6), SULAJMON 19 (2-1), Ilic, Magee 9 (3-3), SLAVKOVIĆ, Tanasković 14 (2-2), Ferel 8, Jovanović 6 (2-1), Omic 4, WRIGHT 11 (4-4), Azubuike, KAMENJAŠ 4.
Hapoel Tel Aviv: MOTLI 15 (3-3), Ragland 6, Blejkeni, Timor 4 (1-1), Blejzer 3, Foster 4, BEVERLI, WAINWRIGHT 9 (2-0), MADAR 11 (6-4), GINAT 15 (4-2), Kaboklo 16.
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