KK Adra Oil Škrljevo – SLUNETA Ústí nad Labem 74:75 (16:20, 22:23, 24:14, 12:18)
Referees: Pipan, Mohorić, Dekanović (all Slovenia)
Attendance: 100
Venue: SRC Mavrinci
Scorers – Škrljevo: Barjnak 20, Šajin 12, Rajčić and Vrgoć each 10, Jelenković 8, Hortman 6, Slavica and Vucić each 4, Ćošić and Stojanović 0
Scorers – Ústí nad Labem: Pecka 24, Svejcar 18, Autrey 12, Alston 10, Fait 9, Karlovský 2, Bohuslav, David and Johnson 0
The guests from the Czech Republic started the game incredibly, after a missed first three, they scored six threes in a row, and took the lead at 10:18, after which the home coach Rajković called a time-out. However, with good defense and baskets, Šajina Adria Oil reduced to 16:20 at the end of the first quarter. With new three-pointers in the second quarter, Sluneta raises their advantage to 32:39, but Barnjak and Rajčić reduce it again and the game keeps a few points advantage for Sluneta and goes to the break with the guests’ advantage 38:43.
Although the visiting team had an advantage on their side throughout the game, Škrljevo played the best part from the 25th to the 30th minute, when they went to a five-point advantage with a series of 14:0 (62:57). But very quickly the guests annulled it, the hosts retaliated in the same way, taking advantage of several of their related mistakes, and in the 33rd minute the advantage was again on their side. Five minutes before the end of the match, Pecka took the guests to a six-point advantage (65:71), the hosts responded through Slavica, Šajin, and Barnjak in counterattack after Jelenković stole one ball, so in the 38th minute the advantage was on the side of Škrljevo 72:71, but Lamb Autrey takes responsibility and scores a basket, only to repeat the same after Barnjak’s free throws for 74:75. Josip Barnjak took over the captaincy in the last attack, Škrljevo got the opportunity to win after Lamb Autrey was awarded the wrong lead in the last attack of the guests. The hosts had 13 seconds left, Barnjak decided to end the game with a solo action, one of those he successfully played several times during the match, it seemed that he did everything well, but the guests had their trump card in the center Delvon Johnson, which is Barnjak’s attempt with the sound of a siren concluded the blockade for the great celebration of the guests.
Post-game quotes:
Damir Rajković, coach of Škrljevo: “Good game, we had our opportunity to win this game, but guests had very good shooting percentage. Our defense and play is getting better after this mini break in league, but we still have to do better. Congratulations to Sluneta.”
Stefan Šajin, player of Škrljevo: “Congratulations to the team of Sluneta on the victory, they had a great evening. We made good use of these 10 days break and focused a lot on the defensive segments, which showed in the second half and received 32 points. Congratulations to my teammates on their fighting spirit, we lacked a little luck at the end of the game, which we certainly deserved and which will come back to us. A rematch awaits us on Sunday in the Czech Republic and we will try to take revenge for this defeat. I would like to congratulate my teammates Barnjak and Jelenkovic who were invited to the wider list of the national team and showed that there are quality players in Skrljevo.”
Jan Šotnar, coach of Ústí nad Labem: “Today here, I think we played a really good game. We had some injured players but we managed to play and win without them. Really hard game. We played solid defense with a lot of contacts, but in the end we won. That is all that matters. Congrats to my players. We have a tough schedule and we have to be prepared.”
Lamb Autrey, player of Ústí nad Labem: “Tough game. We traveled a lot, we were tired, and exhausted. Škrljevo were fighting till the last minute but we just had to stay in the game mentally, that was verry important. Congrats to my players and coach, this was some game.”
