By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Vanja Marinkovic scored 18 points to help Partizan Belgrade beat archrival Crvena Zvezda 71 – 68 at home in Game 2 of the ABA League semifinals and tie the best-of-three series 1-1.
Marcus Paige was the one to put the key finishing touch in Partizan’s win with five points out of his eight overall, in the final minutes. The American guard first scored possibly the most crucial basket down the stretch, a 3-pointer for the 68 – 64 that made it a two-possession affair with 1:19 remaining
KEY MOMENT: @marcuspaige5 takes @PartizanBC up by 4 points with a bit more than a minute on the clock! #ABALiga #RoadToGlory pic.twitter.com/KimMpMtpOr
— ABA Liga (@ABA_League) March 30, 2019
Billy Baron answered with the same currency and then Paige added 2/2 from the line.
Dejan Davidovac missed the game-tying attempt from beyond the arc and Partizan got the win that keeps them alive in the series. Game 3 will take place next week at Crvena Zvezda.
Stratos Perperoglou dropped a team-high 16 points in 20 minutes before getting ejected with two unsportsmanlike fouls, while Maik Zirbes added 11 points and five rebounds for Red Star. Apart from Marinkovic and Paige, Jock Landale provided Partizan with 10 points plus eight boards.
Photo: Partizan NIS via ABA League