Cibona beat Kvarner and took the lead in the series

Cibona head coach Josip Sesar opened the game with the following lineup: Domagoj Vuković, Toni Ročak, Petar Aranitović, Ivan Perasović and Ivan Majcunić. On the other side, Kvarner 2010 coach Ante Nazor sent the following players onto the court: Petar Ogrizović, Chudier Bile, Paolo Marinelli, Patrik Jambrović and Leon Šantelj.

The game started at a high pace, with Cibona taking an early lead after points by Majcunić. However, Kvarner responded with an 8–0 run and showed determination. Cibona fought back to tie the game with a Perasović dunk, but the team from Rijeka regained the lead. Although the “Blues” held a few advantages, Kvarner finished the first quarter ahead by 2 points (17:19).

Kvarner immediately set the tempo and, with a three-pointer from Miličević, went up by 10. Cibona responded with a run of their own, but Kvarner took advantage of every opportunity to maintain the lead. In the closing minutes of the quarter, the home team showed better defense and rebounding energy, and the halftime score was a 5-point advantage for Kvarner (37:42).

Cibona came out motivated in the second half, although they opened the quarter with a technical error from the bench. They quickly took control with strong plays from Skorić, Vuković and Perasović. Kvarner lost rhythm, and Cibona used the momentum to take a 12-point lead by the end of the third quarter (66:54).

Kvarner tried to close the gap with three-pointers from Jambrović and Smojver, but Cibona comfortably maintained their advantage. Perasović and Aranitović hit crucial shots, while Cibona’s defense stopped all comeback attempts. Despite losing the final quarter by a small margin (18:19), Cibona calmly closed out the game and recorded a well-deserved 84:73 victory.

Ivan Perasović was unstoppable with 27 points and 8 rebounds. Domagoj Vuković also stood out with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Ivan Majcunić contributed significantly with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, while Petar Aranitović played a key playmaking role with 9 assists, along with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Paolo Marinelli was the most efficient scorer for the visitors with 16 points and 5 assists. Patrik Jambrović and Chudier Bile each scored 9 points. Ivan Miličević added 8 points, while Petar Ogrizović contributed a solid 7 points.

Cibona will face their second quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, May 17. The game will be played at the Zamet arena in Rijeka, starting at 8 P.M.