SLO - Elektra stuns Slovan, grasps second place
LJUBLJANA (UPC Telemach league) - After the surprising first round win against Helios, Elektra continues its triumphant march. They overcame Geoplin Slovan in round four on Saturday and currently hold second place on the standings. They are thus a serious candidate for next year's Adriatic League campaign. Elektra took off early and closed the first period with a 10-point lead (12-22)
LJUBLJANA (UPC Telemach league) - After the surprising first round win against Helios, Elektra continues its triumphant march. They overcame Geoplin Slovan in round four on Saturday and currently hold second place on the standings. They are thus a serious candidate for next year's Adriatic League campaign.
Elektra took off early and closed the first period with a 10-point lead (12-22).
They held the lead until three minutes to go in the second period when Slovan started closing the gap. The half-time score was sealed with Mario Moore's triple seconds to go in the second period (32-33).
Moore resumed after the break with another triple that gave Slovan the first lead of the match (35-33). Hosts even took a four-point lead with a triple by Jaka Klobucar (40-36) but Elektra's Boris Jersin then stepped up and combined 8 points in the last five minutes of the period to give his team a six-point lead after thirty minutes (49-55).
Jersin scored eight more points in the last period to secure his team a 71-82 victory. 22-year old Jersin had 18 points for Elektra while Milos Paravinja had 20 for Geoplin Slovan.
Elektra Sostanj now shares second place on the standings with a 3-1 record after the expected third-round loss against Union Olimpija.
Reigning Slovenian champions Olimpija beat Zlatorog Lasko at home (91-81) to claim their fourth win in as many matches. Bad news for Olimpija's coach Gasper Okorn, though. A right ankle sprain suffered in the second half sidelines Olimpija's Domen Lorbek for the next 10 days.
Second-seeded Helios Domzale beat Loka kava in Skofja Loka (61-82) while Krka Novo mesto pulled an away victory against Alpos Sentjur (61-75).
Union Olimpija leads the standings after four rounds (4-0). Helios Domzale and Elektra Sostanj share the second place (3-1) followed by Zlatorog, Geoplin Slovan, and Krka with two wins and as many losses.
Three Slovenian teams will qualify for next year's Adriatic League campaign. The play-off champion will be joined by the two best-seeded teams after the ongoing 14-round second-phase league.
Zlatorog will host Geoplin Slovan in the fifth round derby on Wednesday.
The sixth round anticipates an elite double-header with Olimpija-Helios and Elektra-Zlatorog.
Simon Licen
FIBA