FIBA Basketball
SCG - Ergonom win sets up tense finale
BELGRADE (Nasa Liga) - Victory for Ergonom and defeat for Atlas this weekend has set up a tantalising match between the two sides as they look to secure the final Serbo-Montenegrin Superleague place. Both teams are
BELGRADE (Nasa Liga) - Victory for Ergonom and defeat for Atlas this weekend has set up a tantalising match between the two sides as they look to secure the final Serbo-Montenegrin Superleague place.
Both teams are now tied in the Nasa Liga standings with a record of 10-11 and will meet in the last game of the first phase to determine who will claim a top-seven finish and the chance to contest the next stage of the competition.
Atlas will go into the decider on the back of an 89-83 loss to second-placed OKK Beograd.
Dalibor Djapa was Beograd`s matchwinner, scoring four consecutive free-throws in the last minute. He was the game`s joint top scorer with 23 points, along with Atlas` Slobodan Tosic.
"We must focus on the forthcoming weekend, as we'll fight our most important battle of this season," said Atlas coach Dragan Vascanin.
"This loss has come at a good time, as it has shaken us up ahead of the crucial match against Ergonom. We must learn all the lessons from this defeat so we are fully concentrated on the forthcoming task.
"I don't want to think about a Superleague without Atlas in it, and neither do my players. Therefore, we'll do our best to be there."
Ergonom, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their 87-79 victory over Zdravlje. Led by Nikola Jovanovic - who scored 23 points while shooting nine of 13 inside the arc - Ergonom never looked back, despite the visitors' Marko Djerasimovic claiming 22 points to affirm his position as the league`s top scorer.
Djerasimovic`s team-mate Slobodan Mitic also weighed in with 20 points.
Borac, who have already confirmed their place in the Superleague, lost to league leaders Buducnost 82-67 in Cacak.
The visitors' giant centre Slavko Vranes was once again their main weapon. The Nasa Liga`s leading blocker (3.33 per game) finished the match with 13 points and nine rebounds, limiting current league MVP - 19-year-old Dragan Labovic - to just seven points and a one-from-six record inside the arc.
"At this moment, Buducnost are a better team then us," said Borac coach Milovan Stepandic.
"Despite the fact we've qualified for the Superleague, I'm sad because we didn't celebrate it with our great fans.
"More than 3500 of them came to celebrate but we gave them no reason to cheer. I hope we`ll make up for that when we enter the elite competition."
In the other fixtures, Sloga defeated bottom side Primorka 98-77, Mega Ishrana failed to stay in the Superleague race as they lost 91-95 to Napredak - with Andreja Ciric hitting six three-pointers in his 39-point haul for the winners - while Mornar won the derby against Masinac 83-76 to go joint second with OKK Beograd.
PA Sport
Both teams are now tied in the Nasa Liga standings with a record of 10-11 and will meet in the last game of the first phase to determine who will claim a top-seven finish and the chance to contest the next stage of the competition.
Atlas will go into the decider on the back of an 89-83 loss to second-placed OKK Beograd.
Dalibor Djapa was Beograd`s matchwinner, scoring four consecutive free-throws in the last minute. He was the game`s joint top scorer with 23 points, along with Atlas` Slobodan Tosic.
"We must focus on the forthcoming weekend, as we'll fight our most important battle of this season," said Atlas coach Dragan Vascanin.
"This loss has come at a good time, as it has shaken us up ahead of the crucial match against Ergonom. We must learn all the lessons from this defeat so we are fully concentrated on the forthcoming task.
"I don't want to think about a Superleague without Atlas in it, and neither do my players. Therefore, we'll do our best to be there."
Ergonom, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their 87-79 victory over Zdravlje. Led by Nikola Jovanovic - who scored 23 points while shooting nine of 13 inside the arc - Ergonom never looked back, despite the visitors' Marko Djerasimovic claiming 22 points to affirm his position as the league`s top scorer.
Djerasimovic`s team-mate Slobodan Mitic also weighed in with 20 points.
Borac, who have already confirmed their place in the Superleague, lost to league leaders Buducnost 82-67 in Cacak.
The visitors' giant centre Slavko Vranes was once again their main weapon. The Nasa Liga`s leading blocker (3.33 per game) finished the match with 13 points and nine rebounds, limiting current league MVP - 19-year-old Dragan Labovic - to just seven points and a one-from-six record inside the arc.
"At this moment, Buducnost are a better team then us," said Borac coach Milovan Stepandic.
"Despite the fact we've qualified for the Superleague, I'm sad because we didn't celebrate it with our great fans.
"More than 3500 of them came to celebrate but we gave them no reason to cheer. I hope we`ll make up for that when we enter the elite competition."
In the other fixtures, Sloga defeated bottom side Primorka 98-77, Mega Ishrana failed to stay in the Superleague race as they lost 91-95 to Napredak - with Andreja Ciric hitting six three-pointers in his 39-point haul for the winners - while Mornar won the derby against Masinac 83-76 to go joint second with OKK Beograd.
PA Sport