GKK Šibenka – BC Komárno 78:71 (27:28, 18:8, 15:18, 18:17)

Referees: Primož Pipan, Domen Kranjec, Nace Mohorič

Attendance: 200

Venue: Dvorana Baldekin

Scorers – Šibenka: Bročić 20, Paić 17, Škorić 13, Pleadin 9, Lawrence 8, Howard 5, Jambrović 3, Antić 2, Klarin 0

Scorers – Komárno: Gatling 25, Djordjevič and Gašič each 20, Markovič 5, Volárik 1, Danielič, Dolník and Stuckey 0

Šibenik did not open the game well. The scoreboard showed 0:9 for the Komárno, and Šibenka scored their first points after two minutes from the start with a three-pointer by Pleadin. But then it started with three-pointers, Paić and Brocić in a good mood and the hosts reached 15:15, so the first quarter ended with a minimal lead of the guests 27:28. In the second quarter, Milačić’s team played a better defense and went to the break with a score of 45:36.

It continued well at the beginning of the second half, when the home team took the biggest lead, 54:41. But that’s when Šibenka had a small fall, the inexperience of the youth, which resulted the visitors coming within six points with a three-pointer by Gatling. Šibenka entered the final decisive quarter when at one point captain Paić was left lying on the floor and had to continue without him because the Šibenik team did not want to take any risks, so Paić remained on the bench until the end of the game. Šibenka registered another victory in the Alpe Adria Cup 78:71, but there is also a return quarterfinal match in Slovakia.

Post-game quotes: 

Damir Milačić, coach of Šibenka: “The most important thing is that we won the game, given that the game here is based on goal difference. Today, one of our team’s inexperience was shown with respect to some actions in the game where we were not mentally prepared to break the game and try to go beyond those ten points. However, at one point they came up with their three to only two points, and at that moment we raised the five, made a good height, and we managed. We allowed 25 points Gatling from shooting, which means that we were not close enough to him and that is the inexperience that our players have. However, I have no complaints, 40 rebounds, 19 assists, a huge fight, a fantastic atmosphere… I wish there were even more of our fans on Saturday when we play Furnir. I hope everything will be fine with Paić, we shouldn’t have risked anything because we are already playing a new, very serious game on Saturday.”

Srdjan Brocić, Šibenka player: “First of all, I would like to thank the fans who have been supporting us from match to match in increasing numbers and it is nice to see that the stands are full. I hope that it will continue like this. I think we did a good job tonight. I hope that in Slovakia we will have another good game and I hope it will go on our side for the Final Four.”

Zlatko Jovanović, coach of Komárno: “First of all, I have to said that Šibenka team is really playing wonderful basketball this year. They are well managed, my colleague Milačić is doing an excellent job. I have been following Šibenik since the beginning, not knowing that we will meet in the Alpe Adria Cup, and I really have to congratulate them on everything they have done so far. Secondly, seven points is not a lot, I think the result is good. Considering how we played, I’m not satisfied. I think we generally have a problem with energy, I don’t know how many people follow, but in Slovakia we play every three days and literally since the eighth month we haven’t had a break. I think that we didn’t respond well energetically in some moments, therefore when we don’t have energy we don’t have concentration, and really some details cost us defeat, but details always decide matches. Everything is open, but we have two weeks for the rematch. Until then, we have four very important matches in our championship and the quarter-finals of the Cup. I hope that we will all be healthy at that moment, we will welcome Šibenka and I hope for another good game and whoever is better will go to the Final Four.”

Luka Gašić, player of Komárno: “I think it was a very good match. The fans who came to support Šibenka are awesome and it’s very nice to play under this kind of atmosphere. The match was difficult physically and we are in a difficult rhythm, we and they have matches every three days. But, this is only the ‘first half’, the second is played in Slovakia in a few days. I wish luck to us and Šibenka and may the better one win.”