By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Ognen Kuzmic had a career hight with 21 points, 8 rebounds and a big block, giving to Crvena Zvezda one more home win over a EuroLeague title contender. The Serbs beat Fenerbahce 75-73 with Kuzmic blocking the last shot of Ekpe Udoh in an amazing duel.
Udoh had 16 points, Gigi Datome also scored 16 but it was not enough. On the other side Charles Jenkins scored 14 points and also the go-ahead basket at the end as Zvezda got its 9th win in the season. Great defense was once again the key for the team of coach Dejan Radonjic and of course the support of its loud fans.
Despite a good start by Datome who scored 11 points in the first half and Bogdan Bogdanovic who had 9, Fenerbahce couldn’t get the advantage. The first quarter ended in a tie (23-23), the guests got a four points lead (37-33), but Zvezda ended the second period with a 11-5 run (44-42), having a two points cushion.
Things changed totally at the start of the second half with a 10-2 run as the Serbs got a ten points lead (54-44). Fenerbahce come back, trailed by two (61-59) at the end of the third and the score was tied at 61 with the first bucket of the last period, made by Kostas Sloukas.
Playing against his former team Nikola Kalinic with a three gave to Fenerbahce a 65-63 lead with seven minutes left on the game. It was obvious that everything will be decided on details and with two minutes left, Fenerbahce was still leading 71-69. After a turnover by Bogdanovic and 1/2 free throws by Stefan Jovic the score was tied at 73, just 43 seconds before the final buzzer and the duo of Jenkins and Kuzmic decided the game.