The team from Podgorica was defeated by Dubai in Zenica (104:90) in the first match of the ABA League semifinals.
The "Blues" conceded 59 points in the first half, were behind by double digits at the end of the first quarter, and were unable to get back into the game.
"Congratulations to the host team, I think they deserved to win the game. They were better, especially in the first half, when we were far from what we wanted – without aggression and fight. Without that, as I said in the match announcement, you can't do it against Dubai, because they are physically strong and dominant. In the second half, there was some reaction, we played better, the ball traveled a little more in attack, we played a little more as a team, we were stronger in defense and that gave some results," said Budućnost coach Andrej Žakelj after the match.
The semi-finals are played on a best-of-two basis, and the second match between the same rivals is scheduled for Monday in "Morača".
"This is the first game, we need to analyze and know what we need to do if we want to play against Dubai," said the Slovenian expert.
He also reflected on the trial.
"At one point I thought that the referee's criteria were not the same on both sides, but that doesn't matter. We can look for an alibi. We know what we didn't do well. The refereeing is what it is, but today the bigger problem was our play," concluded the coach of the Montenegrin champion.
