By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Another game, another win for Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet in the ABA League, as the defending champions took an 80-57 win against MZT in Skopje, with Facundo Campazzo dominating.
The Argentinian, who still can’t play for Crvena Zvezda in the Euroleague due to a ban, gave a top-class performance with 23 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds for a PIR of 33.
All Crvena Zvezda players made the scoring list, except Stefan Marković, with Filip Petrusev following Campazzo with 13 points and five rebounds as the only other double-digit player for the winning side.
Scoring points is such an easy job when you have @facucampazzo in your team. 👀🪄#ABALiga @kkcrvenazvezda pic.twitter.com/49qI863ja2
— AdmiralBet ABA League (@ABA_League) January 8, 2023
Dustin Ware had 16 points for the losing side, while Vojdan Stojanovski added 13.
MZT gave a good fight to Crvena Zvezda in the first half, thanks to a very good shooting from beyond the arc, as the guests from Belgrade went to a halftime break with only a 36-33 lead.
But, after three straight three-pointers from Campazzo, Zvezda finally took off. Midway through the third period grabbed a double-digit lead and went to the final 10 minutes with 63-41 lead. Soon in the final quarter, everything was pretty clear, the hosts lacked the strength to respond, and Crvena Zvezda won comfortably.
One-man show at the start of the 2nd half. 😎@facucampazzo is ON FIRE in Skopje! 🔥🔥🔥#ABALiga @kkcrvenazvezda pic.twitter.com/vKzshn2Uk6
— AdmiralBet ABA League (@ABA_League) January 8, 2023
After Crvena Zvezda grabbed their 12th win in the Adriatic League (12-1), their arch-rivals Partizan Mozzart Bet did the same, crushing Cibona 93-68 and improving to 12-2 in Round 14.
Danilo Andjusic dominated with 22 points, Alen Smailagic was just two points short of him, while Tristan Vukcevic notched a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds.
For the losing side Aleksandar Aranitovic scored 16, and Marko Bakovic 13 points.
Alen Smailagić sends Tristan Vukčević up top for the easy alley-oop! 🚀💥
This tandem started off red hot for @PartizanBC scoring the team’s first 13 points of the game (Vukčević 7 points, Smailagaić 6 points) 💯#ABALiga #AdmiralBetMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/FHe11mCa3z
— AdmiralBet ABA League (@ABA_League) January 8, 2023
Cibona had an excellent opening quarter and went to the first break with a 19-17 lead, but Partizan took over in the second period, winning it 32-19, and grabbing an 11-point lead at halftime (49-38).
In the third period, Zeljko Obradovic‘s team kept pushing and improved the lead to 74-57 before the final 10 minutes. After Smailagic and Aleksa Avramovic connected three-point shots in the opening of the last quarter, it was all over for Cibona in Belgrade.
ABA Round 14:
Split – Buducnost VOLI 87-85
Borac Mozzart – Cedevita Olimpija 74-76
Mega MIS – FMP Meridian 77-72
MZT Skopje Aerodrom – Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet 57-80
Partizan Mozzart Bet – Cibona 93-68
SC Derby – Zadar (9/1)
Mornar-Barsko zlato – Igokea m:tel (25/1)
Standings: 1. Partizan 12-2, Crvena zvezda 12-1, 3. Cedevita Olimpija 11-2, 4. FMP 10-4, 5. Buducnost 9-5, 6. Zadar 7-6, 7. Cibona 6-8, 8. Split 5-9…
Photo: ABA League/MZT Skopje/Danail Petrovic