Buducnost – Zadar
ABA League Super Cup Round 1
Podgorica, September 18, 18:00 CET
The biggest Montenegrin club Buducnost is the proud host of the ABA League Super Cup tournament this September, which is also a dress rehearsal before the official season start, in the elite regional ABA League.
The home squad in Podgorica will want to show already in the first match, against Croatian champions Zadar, that they are significantly better compared to the previous season - in line with the budget for the team, which this time is about a third bigger. The Montenegrin coach Petar Mijovic's team is stronger since this summer for the national team's guard Vladimir Mihailovic, a shooting guard who returned to the club after nine years... The reinforcements are excellent American guards, playmakers Wright (not so long ago Dallas Mavericks player in NBA) and Ross (behind him is a fantastic season in Italian Varese), shooting guard Magee, but also excellent athletes Jones and Williams in positions under the hoop.
Overall, Buducnost seems like a club and team that can finally play a fast-paced transition game, even against much stronger ABA rivals, such as Euroleague teams Partizan and Crvena Zvezda.
This time the opponent will be Zadar - which is recognized in the ABA League as a squad that always insists on a fast transition game with short attacks (five to eight, maximum ten seconds). For such a game, the Croatian team managed to keep a key player, forward Luka Bozic, who is the leader of the team and who absolutely deserved the award for the best player in the ABA League last season.
It is a handicap for Buducnost they are without an important reinforcement in the long term, injured shooting guard Allerik Freeman - but the team is extremely well covered at the guard positions. Coach Mijović has already announced that the club will look for a replacement for Freeman in the next weeks.
Compared to last season, Zadar has a shorter rotation. Both clubs were faced with the situation that many players were late for preparations due to obligations for national teams this summer. All in all, this is a great chance for Buducnost to show their fans how offensively competent they are - because Zadar will certainly not try to play a slower-paced duel.
In a friendly match played on September 7, Buducnost defeated the Croatian team Split 87:75 - and a game of similar character and score can be expected on Monday in Podgorica. In November of last year in Zadar in ABA League, the result was 104:103 for Buducnost - and in March of this year, 76:68 for the hosts in Podgorica. In that game, both teams were burdened with personnel problems, now they are in a significantly better situation and ready for attacking basketball.
Also, you shouldn't expect a rough game with a lot of breaks or fouls - after all, it's a Super Cup game. All the prerequisites are there for a good show of attacking basketball.