The team from Podgorica played a great first half, even having an 18-point advantage, but allowed their rivals to completely turn the game around, but in a dramatic finale they managed to preserve the triumph with a penalty kick.
"A tough game after Wednesday. We had to find some kind of reaction both physically and mentally and I think that was it. We started as we agreed, much more aggressive, tougher and more specific and that gave us a result. While we played like that, we had a result. We made a lot of mistakes, which is an integral part, but I think we fought the whole game. We gave them a chance to come back. The agreement was to control the attack, not to lose any balls, since they have one of the best counterattacks. But that's exactly what we did, a couple of lost balls, easy points and that's how we gave them hope. But I think the reaction was from the team, a much better approach, desire, fight, with mistakes and I think the victory was deserved," said Budućnost coach Andrej Žakelj after the game.
The Slovenian expert could not count on captain Nikola Tanasković tonight, so the rotation was narrowed, because Andrija Slavković and Fletcher Megi were injured earlier.
"Tanasković was injured in the game on Wednesday, we'll see, it's a muscle. For the other two - they're not training with the team. They're training according to a special program, I hope it gets better and we can train normally first and have a slightly larger rotation."
Unlike Wednesday, Buducnost had rebound control tonight, especially in the first half.
"The rebound is important for everyone, including us. The way we play, if we don't have a defensive rebound, we can't play our fast game. In the second half, I think we made a few mistakes in blocking, they punished us. The rebound is an important element. We made a lot of mistakes, it's not that we didn't. But with this approach, more confidence, fewer turnovers and more rebounds and a better game will come," Žakelj is convinced.
Rashid Sulajmon stood out tonight with 23 points, and he scored some important ones in the final moments when the match was breaking down.
"Sulejmon is here in the end because of that. He has his own quality. He is one of the players. Everyone gave their part. He has his own quality and he used that. He was very focused and in the end it came back to him with a good game," said the Buducnost coach.
The next challenge for Budućnost is the match against Dubai in Podgorica.
"We know who we're playing against. Dubai, a Euroleague roster and a Euroleague team that has high ambitions. They have 15-17 players who rotate and that gives them continuity. They play great basketball, they're a very powerful team physically, two times bigger than us. We're playing at home, we have to do what we showed today, we have to repeat and prepare as much as possible. Of course, they're the favorites, but we'll do everything we can to show a better game than we did this week," concluded Žakelj.
