Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings

ABA League is at the halfway of the Regular Season and there are still another 5 rounds left. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most surprising game was the first loss of Serbian Vojvodina (2-1) in Niksic on Thursday night. Visitors were defeated by eleventh ranked Montenegrin Sutjeska (2-1) 96-79. It ended at the same time the two-game winning streak of Vojvodina NS. Sutjeska made 17-of-22 free shots (77.3 percent) during the game. 25 personal fouls committed by Vojvodina helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Center Filip Barovic (206-1990, agency: 011 Sports) orchestrated the victory by scoring 23 points and 7 rebounds. American guard Austin Luke (191-1994, college: Belmont) contributed with 14 points and 11 assists for the winners. Forward Stefan Savic (200-1995) answered with 19 points for Vojvodina. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Sutjeska moved-up to fourth place, which they share with 3 other teams including defeated Vojvodina. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Important game to mention about took place in Skopje. Leader Slovenian Helios Suns (3-0) saved a 2-point victory on the road edging 7th ranked North Macedonian MZT Skopje (1-2) 72-70 on Wednesday evening. Point guard Jan Zemljic (192-2004) stepped up and scored 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners and Lovro Urbiha chipped in 14 points and 4 assists. U.S. Virgin Islands guard Deon Edwin (192-1992, college: Kent St.) responded with 17 points and 5 assists. MZT Skopje’s coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Helios Suns have a solid series of three victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader. Defending North Macedonian champion MZT Skopje dropped to the twelfth place with two games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Bottom-ranked Montenegrin Teodo is still unable to win any game. This time they could not use their home court advantage losing their third consecutive match to seventh ranked Croatian Cedevita Jr. (2-1) 97-76 on Tuesday evening. Tahj Eaddy nailed 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side. Marcus Evans came up with 22 points for Teodo in the defeat. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Cedevita Jr. moved-up to fourth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Teodo at the other side still closes the standings with three games lost. They share the position with Rabotnicki. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.

In the last game of round 5 Bosna smashed Rabotnicki on the road 99-74.

MZT Skopje – Helios Suns 70-72

Important game to mention about took place in Skopje. Leader Slovenian Helios Suns (3-0) saved a 2-point victory on the road edging 7th ranked North Macedonian MZT Skopje (1-2) 72-70 on Wednesday evening. Helios Suns made 19-of-25 charity shots (76.0 percent) during the game. Point guard Jan Zemljic (192-2004) stepped up and scored 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists for the winners and power forward Lovro Urbiha (204-2003, agency: PEPI SPORT) chipped in 14 points and 4 assists. Four Helios Suns players scored in double figures. U.S. Virgin Islands guard Deon Edwin (192-1992, college: Kent St.) responded with 17 points and 5 assists and American point guard Brandon Sly (180-1996, college: ASU) scored 20 points. MZT Skopje’s coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn’t help. Helios Suns have a solid series of three victories in a row. They keep a position of league leader. Defending North Macedonian champion MZT Skopje dropped to the twelfth place with two games lost. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
MZT Skopje: B.Sly 20+1reb+1ast, D.Edwin 17+3reb+5ast, M.Milovanovikj 8, A.Maslinko 7+3reb+1ast, B.Krstevski 7+2reb, M.Bakovic 5+1reb
Helios Suns: L.Urbiha 14+4reb+4ast, J.Span 12+1reb+5ast, J.Zemljic 11+6reb+7ast, J.Copot 11+6reb, S.Knezevic 9+1reb+1ast, L.Sirc 8+9reb

gschID: 1179374

Teodo – Cedevita Jr. 76-97

Bottom-ranked Montenegrin Teodo is still unable to win any game. This time they could not use their home court advantage losing their third consecutive match to seventh ranked Croatian Cedevita Jr. (2-1) 97-76 on Tuesday evening. Cedevita Jr. outrebounded Teodo 41-24 including a 31-17 advantage in defensive rebounds. Cedevita Jr. shot the lights out from three sinking 13 long-distance shots on high 59.1 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. American guard Tahj Eaddy (188-1996, college: USC) nailed 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side and forward Tomislav Buljan (205-2002, agency: Octagon Europe) accounted for 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. American guard Marcus Evans (188-1996, college: VCU) came up with 22 points and guard Nemanja Vranjes (187-1988) added 13 points and 6 rebounds (was perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line) respectively for Teodo in the defeat. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Cedevita Jr. moved-up to fourth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Teodo at the other side still closes the standings with three games lost. They share the position with Rabotnicki. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Teodo: M.Evans 22+3reb+2ast, N.Vranjes 13+6reb+3ast, M.Popovic 11+3reb+2ast, U.Ilic 10+2reb+1ast, N.Tadic 9+4reb+1ast, P.Kusovac 9+2reb
Cedevita Jr.: T.Eaddy 26+5reb+5ast, S.Rasic 17+4reb+3ast, M.Jelic 15+1reb+1ast, T.Buljan 12+9reb+4ast, N.Sare 8+2reb+1ast, M.Brzoja 8+7reb+4ast

gschID: 1179375

Rabotnicki – Bosna S. 74-99

No shocking result in a game when ninth ranked Bosnian Bosna (2-1) crushed bottom-ranked North Macedonian Rabotnicki (0-3) in Skopje 99-74 on Wednesday. Bosna outrebounded Rabotnicki 39-25 including 27 on the defensive glass. Bosna shot the lights out from three sinking 13 long-distance shots on high 52.0 percentage. Serbian forward Petar Kovacevic (203-2002) nailed 19 points and 5 rebounds for the winning side and American forward Dimitrius Underwood (193-1998, college: Charleston) accounted for 16 points and 5 rebounds. Five Bosna S. players scored in double figures. Bosna S.’s coach felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Bosnian center Imran Polutak (209-1996) came up with 27 points and 9 rebounds and North Macedonian guard Andrej Shoshkikj (187-2005, agency: BIG) added 13 points and 7 assists respectively for Rabotnicki in the defeat. Bosna moved-up to fourth place, which they share with 3 other teams. Loser Rabotnicki still closes the standings with three games lost. They share the position with Teodo. Both teams do not play next round, which will be an opportunity for some rest.
Top scorers:
Rabotnicki: I.Polutak 27+9reb+2ast, A.Shoshkikj 13+1reb+7ast, M.Jovicic 11+2reb+2ast, J.Dubinski 8+2reb+4ast, A.Hot 6+6reb, S.Gjuroski 6+1reb+1ast
Bosna S.: P.Kovacevic 19+5reb+1ast, A.Gutic 18+2reb+1ast, D.Underwood 16+5reb+2ast, C.Lutete 13+2reb+1ast, D.Salic 11+4reb+3ast, A.Vrabac 11+10reb+1ast