ADRIATIC LEAGUE – Partizan, Union Olimpija to meet for title

LJUBLJANA (Adriatic League) - Partizan Belgrade and Union Olimpija both won at the Adriatic League Final Four on Tuesday night and will now meet for title.
 
In the first semi-final, defending champions Partizan came from behind in the fourth quarter and edged Buducnost, 62-58, while Union Olimpija, who are hosting the Final Four in Ljubljana, prevailed 67-57 against KRKA Novo Mesto.
 
Buducnost came oh so close to claiming a famous victory.
 
After blowing a nine-point advantage early in the fourth quarter, the Montenegrin team got a pair of free-throws from Vladimir Dragicevic for a 58-56 advantage in the last minute.
 
Partizan then reeled off six unanswered points to punch their ticket for the final.
 
In the game-winning run, Rasko Katic hit a pair at the stripe to knot the knot the contest and after Curtis Jerrells stole the ball from Gintaras Kadziulis, he was fouled and also made two free-throws.
 
Following a Buducnost timeout, James Gist stole the ball from Kadziulis and dunked to ice the victory.
 
Jerrells and Katic each had 13 points to lead a balanced Partizan attack.
 
Vladimir Jovanovic's Partizan team made just 19 of 33 free-throws (58%) and also drilled just one of 15 shots from the arc.
 
Petar Bozic, the Partizan captain, said: "We pulled out the victory, most importantly, but certainly can't be satisfied with the game, nor the energy or the implementation of the game-plan."
 
Slovenia international guard Saso Ozbolt hit five of seven three-balls on his way to a game-high 19 points as Union Olimpija beat KRKA Novo Mesto in the second game.
 
KRKA trailed 52-47 with eight minutes to go after a dunk by Zoran Dragic but got no closer.
 
The final will be played on Thursday.
 
FIBA