The team from Nikšić was in first place after the league stage (20-4), ahead of Primorje (17-7), Mornar (16-8) and Lovćen (15-9).
Mornar and Primorje shared a win in their respective league games, both teams in front of their own fans. Perhaps more important than the home team was their main player this season, point guard Alston Mason, who led Mornar to victory in Topolica in February, in the 19th round (94:84), with 23 points, although with a slightly lower shooting percentage (40%). Mason was not present in the first match in Igalo, in November last year in the 6th round, when Primorje celebrated 83:71, on the wings of Rakočević and Peković, former Mornar players. Today's game at the start of the play-in series, in the Topolica hall, will be played at 6 p.m.
In the second play-off match, Sutjeska is the favorite against Lovćen, although their away game in Cetinje comes between two matches of the ABA 2 league semi-final series, where they will be chasing a break against TFT from Skopje. The team from Nikšić has defeated Lovćen twice in the league this season, at home 102:75, and away 81:59, most recently, at the beginning of the month in the last round. Can it be more uncertain now, when the focus of Nikšić is partly on the away game in Skopje, remains to be seen on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Two games are played in the play-in, based on total goal difference, and the winners of the two series will meet in the play-off semi-finals against Buducnost and SC Derbija.
