By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Crvena Zvezda guard Nemanja Nedovic ripped the referees of the game against Zalgiris Kaunas following his team’s away loss.
“We managed to come back, had a chance to take the lead, but these three guys [the referees] really interfered,” Nedovic said after the game. “I haven’t participated in a game like this for a long time.”
Red Star trailed by 14 points at halftime and was down 66 – 57 at the beginning of the fourth quarter before coming back to tie the game at 79, 1:56 before the end of the period. Codi Miller-McIntyre hit a triple for the 84 – 84 with 1.3 seconds to play but then Bryant Dunston beat the buzzer for Zalgiris.
“A painful defeat,” Nedovic had also mentioned. “I think we should be proud of how we fought. We didn’t start well, it’s not easy to play here in front of their fans. They are a solid team on this court.”
Nedovic particularly praised his teammate Uros Plavsic. The Zvezda big man and EuroLeague rookie had his best game yet with the Zvezda jersey, putting up 16 points and nine rebounds while being instrumental in his team’s comeback in the fourth period.
“Plavsic has quality,” Nedovic mentioned. “I said it when we signed him, and I saw it last season when he played in Mega. He came to a big club with big expectations, where it is not easy to fight. He needs confidence, like everyone else. When he has confidence, he is a very good player and when he does what he knows, he can help us a lot.”
Zvezda has to quickly turn the page from this heartbreaking loss now since they host reigning EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos Athens in less than 48 hours.
“This game should be forgotten,” Nedovic said. “It will be difficult because you are there for the whole second half, you need to break a little, but they don’t let you. It certainly affected the whole team psychologically, but in two days there is a new game and a new chance to make up for the defeat”.