Dramatic one-point win for KK Napredak against KK Ulcinj

KK Napredak Rubin Krusevac finished the year in the EUROHOLD Balkan League with an good home win, after a really dramatic game against KK Ulcinj. The final score in Hala Sportova was 73:72 as the fans enjoyed a really interesting and contested match of basketball.   KK Ulcinj scored the first bucket of the night, but KK Napredak Rubin answered with seven straight points and quickly built a 7:3 lead in the opening minutes. The home side led the game 13:10 halfway through the first period, but that was the last time they had the lead in the opening quarter. They scored six points until the end of the first against twelve for Ulcinj, and the Montenegrin side held a deserved 19:22 lead after 10 minutes of play.
 
Slobodan Pejovic started the second quarter with a three-pointer, making the score 22:22. However Ulcinj scored the next four points, getting a 22:26 lead, as they were ahead of their opposition in these opening minutes of the second quarter, continuing their strong performance and extending their lead to 9 points - 24:33 with 2.59 to go in the period. Napredak scored nine straight points until halftime and tied the score at 33:33 afte 20 minutes of basketball in Krusevac.
 
Napredak started the second half really strong, as for the first five minutes they outscored their opposition 15:5 and held a deserved 10-point lead - 48:38 halfway through the period. However Ulcinj didn′t seem like giving up at all, as in the following minutes they scored 18 points against just 5 for Napredak, and once again held the lead - 53:56. After 30 minutes it was Ulcinj who was ahead - 57:59.
 
The home team quickly turned things around in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, erasing the difference and getting the lead back. With 5 minutes to go in the game Napredak led by 5 points - 67:62. Napredak remained ahead of their opponents, as they led 70:64 with 2.14 remaining. Ulcinj decreased the difference to 70:68 and even had a chance to get the lead or tie the score, but Sinisa Tepavcevic turned the ball over 26 seconds before the end. Sasa Stefanovic made two free-throws for 71:70 and after that Tepavcevic scored for 71:72. Aco Mandic tipped in a mised shot with 6 seconds to go, giving Napredak a 73:72 lead. In the following offense Ulcinj failed to score and Napredak Rubin celebrated with their second BIBL win.
 
Vladimir Radmanovac was the top scoring player for Napredak Rubin with 14 points. Slaven Cupkovic had 13 and Slobodan Pejovic added 12. Kendrick Jones and Marko Puzic added 10 points each, while Aco Mandic scored 9, including the game-winning basket.
 
Milos Djurisic had a game-high 21 points in Ulcinj′s loss. Boban Medenica added 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Sinisa Tepavcevic and Sasa Stefanovic finished the game with 14 points a piece.   Napredak Rubin are currently lying on the fourth spot in Group B with a balance of 2 wins and 3 losses. After tonight′s loss KK Ulcinj are one spot behind them - at the fifth place with a balance of 1-4.