Peja takes a 4-point advantage to BIBL semifinal Game 2

KB Peja won a thriller at home, 83-79, against KK Kumanovo 2009 in their first SIGAL-UNIQA Balkan League semifinal clash. The Kosovan team will now take a 4-point advantage to Macedonia, where the Yellows and the Blues will meet again next week to decide the second team in the competition′s final. 

It all started as a close game, but the hosts went ahead by 20-14 at the end of the first quarter, that saw a few ties and lead changes. Peja extended the margin to 24-14 throughout the second period and kept a 6-point advantage at half time.

Kumanovo, though, opened the second half with a 7-0 run to not only stay in the game, but to also take control, 39-38. The Kosovan team responded with a lay up by Alban Veseli to re-gain the lead. However, the Macedonian side came back, but Peja pulled away by another double-digit lead, that Kumanovo soon cut to 76-80 on a three-point shot by Yonel Brown. Robert Abramovic answered with another shot beyond the arc and with 32 seconds to go the Blues just could not find the answers to stop the players of Aleksandar Todorov, who will have to face the team where he first started his career as a head coach back in 2001 in a do-or-die match again in seven days. 

Robert Abramovic scored 22 points for the winners and overshadowed a great performance by Kumanovo′s Yonel Brown who had 33. Slobodan Miljanic added 15 points and eight rebounds for Peja, Alban Veseli followed with a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, while Cameron Rundles finished with 10 points. 

FULL BOX SCORE FROM KB PEJA - KK KUMANOVO 2009