Buducnost - Red Star

International - Liga ABA, Playoffs, Semifinal

The Basketball Expert

Buducnost wee embarrassed in the ABA League first semi-final game. They lost by 93:55 in Belgrade and that score best describes their season. They have done absolutely everything wrong in the past 10 months. In fact, since they have existed, they always been supported by domestic players. In this campaign, Buducnost had a different mindset. They brought in a large number of foreign players who were not at the required level (Aaron White, Phil Booth and Cam Reynolds for example). White and Booth left Podgorica after a couple of months, and were replaced by Erick Green and J.J. O'Brien. Just before the start of the playoffs, head coach was also changed. Vlade Jovanovic was fired after a shocking defeat against Borac Cacak at home, and club soldier Petar Mijovic got the chance to bring the season to an end. Shock therapy had an effect for the match against Partizan, but after that they returned to their recognizable form.

Red Star has 14 consecutive wins in all competitions. Their last defeat was against Barcelona two months ago. Head coach Dusko Ivanovic has a lot of time to work, and this is clearly visible in the results. They finished the Euroleague with five triumphs in a row, while in the ABA league they are winning easily from week to week. Facundo Campazzo plays superbly. He scores 13.6 points on average, although it is impossible to see in the statistics what the Argentinian point guard brings to the team. He makes every teammate better and is constantly the biggest threat to the opponent's basket. Luca Vildoza and Nemanja Nedovic can destroy anyone when they are in good mood and when they hit shots, while Filip Petrusev plays at a very high level. Even Ben Bentil has a more prominent role than in the previous period. From top to bottom, Red Star looks like the best team in the ABA right now.

“Moraca” is one of the most difficult places to play in the ABA league. Home fans always create an exceptional atmosphere. However, it is the players who perform on the court. Buducnost is definitely not at the level of previous years. They are far behind Red Star and it will be big thing form them if they stay close for a long period of time. Red and whites are playing a much more aggressive defense, while virtuosos like Campazzo, Vildoza and Nedovic can create in various ways in offense. Certainly Red Star won’t be as convincing as in Belgrade, but expect the visitors to win without much drama. After all, it would give them a few extra days to rest and prepare for the final series, which could be of crucial importance.

Pistol Pete

With a lot of respect, the current champion of the ABA league Crvena Zvezda prepared during the previous week for the away match against Buducnost Voli and the second duel of the semi-finals - even though the Belgrade team won in the first match by as many as 38 points.
Everything we know about the legendary Crvena Zvezda coach Dusko Ivanovic is a pledge to believe that the favorite will not relax after a great performance in the first match. In the duel played on May 14 in Belgrade (93:55), Crvena Zvezda demonstrated an almost perfect game, while Buducnost Voli objectively played below the obvious quality of the team and individuals.
Also, Crvena Zvezda is faced with the fact that they did not have much success against Buducnost Voli on visits to Podgorica in the past. Out of their 26 matches in the capital of Montenegro in the ABA league, the home team won in as many as 20. However, in the last two matches, Crvena Zvezda won in Podgorica.
In the first part of the season, in the match played on January 15, Crvena Zvezda demonstrated their power in Podgorica, winning 76:56. It is also the second most convincing triumph of the "red and whites" away to Buducnost Voli.
In the match played on May 14, all 12 Red Star players scored, and five had double-digit scores. Especially in the battle under the basket, the Belgrade team was dominant. Power forward Petrusev scored 17 points, but center Luka Mitrovic played the best game. In less than 14 minutes on the court, he scored 11 points with ten rebounds and three assists. Considering how many quality options Dusko Ivanovic's team has in positions under the hoop, it is difficult to expect that the home team's tall players can establish a balance.
When it comes to Buducnost Voli, much more will be expected from top scorer Eric Green. Although he scored 13 points in the aforementioned duel played in mid-May, he had a poor execution. With him on the field, Buducnost Voli received as many as 24 points more than their rivals. Zvezda's captain Branko Lazic played perfect defense on him – and Green is objectively the only top attacking option in the Montenegrin club.
The chance for Buducnost Voli could eventually be an uncertain ending, in which, with the exceptional support of the fans, they could claim a triumph and extend the semi-final series to another match. However, in every variant of the five on the field, Red Star this season appears to be a much better opponent.
The key advantage of the visitors is the team defense, Red Star this season in the ABA league receives only 71.8 points per game. Buducnost Voli, on the other hand, receives 78.5 points per game - and on the other hand, they will have to play against team that, according to many, is one of the most offensively talented in Europe.
The only parameter of the game in which Buducnost Voli maybe can have an advantage are the offensive rebounds. Nevertheless, knowing the upswing in form of the visiting team and how seriously Ivanovic is preparing for such important games, an extremely precise performance is expected from Red Stars.
The guests from Belgrade are on a streak of 14 victories in all competitions, since the defeat against Barcelona on March 17 (85:79). The team has a great motive and a clearly defined goal to defend the title in the ABA league and is looking for a chance to secure a place in the final this week. Only once in the last ten matches did Red Star score less than 83 points, they are ready for variants of both slower and faster attacking pace in the match in Podgorica.