A convincing game in "Morača" against the same rival remained a reference for what this team can look like when it controls the rhythm and imposes its style of play, but the pace of the Top 8 phase and the new competition system quickly showed that there was no room for relying on what had already been done.
Igokea, meanwhile, confirmed this with a victory over Cedevita Olimpija, making it clear that the fight for positions in the finals will be open until the very end.
The tight schedule does not leave much room for corrections, and each subsequent game directly affects the balance of power in the fight for the playoffs and the best possible starting position, which is why the away game in Laktaši comes as a test that requires continuity, not occasional good sequences.
Although the first head-to-head match at this stage showed the difference when Buducnost plays at its maximum, experience from previous seasons shows that matches in Laktaši are not won based on impressions, but through 40 minutes of discipline and patience.
Igokea is trying to bring the match to a rhythm that suits her on her home court, with plenty of contact and controlled attacks, which means that the key will be Buducnost's ability to impose intensity and not allow the opponent to dictate the pace.
This match also carries additional context, as it comes after the defeat to Dubai in the previous round, so the response to that will perhaps be the most important segment of the match – not only through the result, but also through the way the team reacts.
At a stage of the season where details make the difference, it all comes back to basics – energy, concentration and the ability to maintain the same level of play from the first to the last minute.
Saturday in Laktaši brings another test, and the answer, as always in this part of the season, will have to be concrete.
