By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda mts routed SC Derby, 99-67, on Monday.
Montenegrin Nikola Ivanovic needed only just over 14 minutes to score a game-high 14 points. Experienced Serbian forward Nikola Kalinic finished with 12 points, including eight points in the paint, and also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. Branko Lazic followed with 11 points. Nate Wolters and Ognjen Dobric contributed ten points apiece in the ABA League Regular Season Round 9 victory. Aaron White remained on the injury list.
The Serbian side was coming off two losses in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague double-game week, after five straight wins across all competitions, including last Sunday versus Partizan NIS. The ensuing trip to Spain featured visits at Bitci Baskonia and Real Madrid on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
The Montenegrin club trailed the whole way, except for the early 3-2 lead in the first-ever clash opposite Crvena Zvezda. Croatian Boris Tisma, a product of the Real Madrid youth academy, tapped a team-high 13 points and Tomislav Ivisic added 12 points in the losing effort.
The win in Podgorica once again matches Partizan on top of the ABA standings. The Serbian rivals are tied at 8-1. FMP follows at 7-2 and Buducnost VOLI sits fourth at 6-3. The losing side was forced down to 4-5.
The team led by Dejan Radonjic, also 4-7 in the EuroLeague Regular Season and tied with Baskonia, will move on to host UNICS Kazan in Round 12 on Friday. The Russian side led by Velimir Perasovic will be carrying its own 6-5 W-L tally to Belgrade.
Photo Credit: ABA-Liga.com