By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Nemanja Nedovic scored 21 points as Crvena Zvezda beat Partizan Belgrade 80 – 73 to take a 2-0 lead in the ABA League best-of-five Finals. The series now moves to Partizan’s homecourt where the reigning champs will look to first stay alive Sunday (19/5) and then tie the series.
Branko Lazic and Joel Bolomboy added 10 points (all of them in the fourth period) apiece for a Zvezda team that held a steady lead after the mid of the third period. With Partizan up 43 – 44, the hosts dropped eight unanswered points and then proceeded to move ahead 59 – 50.
Partizan reacted to make it 61 – 60 early in the fourth quarter. Red Star retained its advantage and increased it to double – figures (77 – 67) with two minutes remaining, never to look back.
Jaleen Smith scored 12 points for Partizan. Bruno Caboclo posted 11 points plus six rebounds, PJ Dozier had 11 points and Zach LeDay contributed 11 points as well.