Cherno More lost but qualify for the Final 4

       Euroins Cherno More became the first team to qualify for Final 4 of EUROHOLD Balkan League. Despite the loss against OKK Beograd 81-84, team from Varna had won the first meeting in Belgrade with 5 points and that send them to the final stage of the competition. Serbian squad led in most of the time, but good performances at the end from Hrisimir Dimitrov brought canceled their efforts. Now it is sure that in the tournament semifinals, will meet two Bulgarian teams. According to the regulation of the competition, if at this stage there are two teams from the same country, they will meet each one in the semifinal. Tomorrow in Sofia in the last quarterfinal Levski is hosting Rilski Sportist in Bulgarian clash.
      In the first minutes both teams started the game very strong and no one was able to gain advantage. Euroins Cherno More led 6-2 after three-pointer of Alexander Yanev, but 2 minutes later the visitors took the lead by 8-6. However a few strong minutes for the Black Sea and after a series of 11-2 the difference
jumped to 7 points, 17-10. In the last two minutes of the period, thanks to the good performance of Dragan Kruscic, who scored 10 points in the first quarter, the guests were able to catch up to 20-20 after ten minutes of play. An early three-pointer by Dragan Mitrovic in the second period opened a great opportunity through
the OKK and Serbian team managed to took a comfortable lead 22-32. Igor Bakovic scored two free-throughs and reduce the difference, but then the main playmaker of
Cherno More, Dimitar Mirakovski injured his ankle and left the pitch, but fortunately it was not serious and he returned in the second half. Initially this did not influence the hosts and a after a few good successful attacks local side trailed only by 3 points 31-34. OKK did not stumbled, scoring 8 consecutive points for 31-42. The captain of the hosts Simeon Tsenov scored 4 points followed by a three-pointer by Tihomir Zhelev and the difference dropped to 5 points. After an exchange of two
points for both teams, in the last attack Sasha Mijalovic made a triple and his team led by 39-47 after the first half.
         Second half started with a lay-up by Hrisimir Dimitrov, as Nikola Korac scored for the guests, and after him Gary Ware set the result to 43-49. Mitrovic scored twice from the free-throw line, but Mirakovski back two points, then Ware made 2 lay-ups and Euroins Cherno More led again - 52-51. Serbian squad reacted very quickly and with 5 consecutive points once again took the lead, 52-56. Mirakovski reduced by
three-pointer, followed by an exchange of baskets and Cherno More lead to 59-58. This lead not maintained long as OKK again scored 5 consecutive points and go ahead by 4. In the end of the third part Mirakovski managed to score one basket and after 30 minutes on the field the score was 61-63.
         OKK scored the first two baskets in the fourth period and led by 6 points, 61-67, then both teams exchanged one basket and the difference kept to 6. Hrisi Dimitrov managed to score a basket, and after a fast three-pointer by Mirakovski the hosts reduced their trail to one point. A little later, Nenad Sulovic made a lay-up and 04.49 minutes before the end OKK Beograd led by 70-77. Sulovic again scored
under the basket, but Ware continued with his good performance in the second half and his two consecutive baskets reduced the difference to 5 points three minutes before the end. Stefan Nikolic again give the necessary lead for the visitors 76-81. Four consecutive points by Hrisimir Dimitrov set the score to 80-82, 40 seconds remaining. Quite expected Mitrovic was fouled and made the result  80-84, 33 seconds to the end. In the last 20 seconds  Dimitrov still had to perform with two free-throws but scored only the first,  which give a chance to Nikola Korac to score,
however,  he missed and Euroins Cherno more became the first team qualified for
the Final 4.
        Garry Ware was the most efficient player in the game, finishing with double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Hrisimir Dimitrov nailed 19 points, while Dimitar Mirakovski added 13 points and 7 assists. Dragan Kruscic finished with
20 points for OKK, while Mitrovic ended with 18 in the losing case.