By Lefteris Moutis
All derbies around the world are full of intensity, passion, great conversation before and after the game, anxiety of the result and shared feelings between the two rivals.
All this applies also in Serbia; with a big however, difference: In recent years, Partizan dominates so much over Red Star so that their wins have become… routine and don’t make sense like in the old times. “Grobari” run the longest winning streak against Red Star during last decades reaching 13, after the last Partizan home win (79-69) last Sunday!
In recent years the two rivals meet frequently (in Serbian league, Serbian Cup and Adriatic League) and the final loss of Partizan took place before 29 months, on November 19, 2009!
In that game, “Reds” won 76-73 thanks to a lucky … three-pointer at the end of the time of Morris Bailey, who marked the backboard, but saw the ball to reach the basket. The American left Red Star after this match, but his figure is still familiar to Belgrade cause of this shot.
However, the difference between the two teams over the last decade is such big that everyone in Partizan faces each loss as… tragedy and the following games of the season as… opportunity for redeem.
Before the loss of Red Star in November 2009, Partizan had very bad results in Euroleague (three defeats in four games). A week later played against Olympiacos in Hala Pionir and after an excellent game of Rasic (25 p., 5 as.) and Maric (23 p., 15 reb.), they won 86-80 changing after that completely their face. In the following games, Partizan was excellent and reached the Final Four in Paris facing in the semifinal Olympiacos…
Something similar happened a year earlier. After a painless loss for the championship in November of 2008, Tadija Dragicevic of Red Star thanked God, while the in locker room of champions was held a… summit meeting. Dusko Vujosevic left locker rooms five minutes after the game but the captain, Petar Bozic, organized a discussion that lasted 45 minutes! What was the result? After five months Partizan played in the quarterfinals of Euroleague!