Cibona are Croatian champions after four years

Cibona head coach Ivan Rudež started the game with Palokaj, Lončar, Skorić, Šiško, and Roberson. On the other side, Zadar head coach Danijel Jusup sent Mihailović, Tišma, Žganec, Mekić, and Ramljak onto the court.

The first quarter was closely contested, featuring plenty of physical play and several lead changes on both sides. Midway through the period, Zadar found a better rhythm and managed to pull away through Mazalin and Kapusta. Cibona reduced the deficit late in the quarter with a three-pointer by Bart and a basket from Roberson, but the home team entered the first break with a 21–15 lead.

The second quarter opened at a faster pace, and Cibona narrowed the gap through Roberson, Lončar, Palokaj, Čakarun, and Radovčić. However, Zadar maintained the advantage thanks to strong performances from Mihailović, Ramljak, Žganec, Tišma, and Mazalin, who capitalized on the visitors’ mistakes and hit important shots. Despite Cibona’s attempts to fully get back into the game, the hosts went into halftime leading 36–30.

The third quarter marked Cibona’s complete return to the game and was their best stretch of the night. They played with much greater energy, increased defensive intensity, and found better offensive solutions through improved ball movement. The visitors gradually erased Zadar’s lead, and points from Lončar, Šiško, Serdarušić, and Roberson brought them level while raising the tempo of the game. Zadar responded through Mazalin, Mihailović, Kapusta, and Ramljak, but Cibona stayed composed late in the quarter and entered the final ten minutes tied at 55–55.

In the final quarter, Cibona finally completed the comeback and regained the lead for the first time since the opening seconds of the game. After trailing for most of the match, the Wolves raised their defensive intensity and found a better offensive rhythm with contributions across the lineup. They continued to play decisively and with composure, taking control in the closing stages. Zadar tried to stay in contention and regain momentum, but Cibona executed key possessions with greater focus and sealed a memorable 82–75 victory.

After receiving the award for Best Playmaker of the SuperSport Premier League a few days earlier, Žan Mark Šiško added another major accolade to his collection — the Finals MVP award. Following the game, the trophy presentation took place, with captain Krešimir Radovčić receiving the honor of lifting the trophy first. The Croatian championship trophy was presented to him by Croatian basketball federation president Nikola Rukavina.

Overall, this is Cibona’s 21st championship title. The club has also finished as runners-up seven times, reaching the Croatian league finals on those occasions.

Ivan Rudež, Cibona head coach: “I think it was a fantastic sporting event. The atmosphere was outstanding and fan safety was excellent. Huge respect to Zadar — they are such a powerful and intelligent team, coached so well by coach Jusup, that this was truly a heroic effort by my players and coaching staff. I’m emotional because one warrior went down — Palokaj’s injury doesn’t look good. What he did today for his team is something I, personally, will never forget. He’s a fighter. That’s why we brought him here, and he showed it today. He paid with his leg. The game itself showed signs of nerves on both sides. Missed easy shots, turnovers — we were too nervous. But thanks to our concentration in the third quarter, we managed to turn the game around. Defensively there were mistakes, but we never gave up on our identity. Serdarušić, Bart — a young player who is often questioned — showed today that he can stay calm on a big stage. Čakarun, everyone contributed. This trophy means a lot because, from my perspective, we exceeded expectations. But once preseason started and I got a feel for the team after the FIBA games, I believed we could finish the season with a victory”.

Marjan Čakarun, Cibona player: “The emotions are overwhelming. Congratulations to my whole team. Ever since Palokaj and I arrived in December, this team has emphasized unity and team spirit. A lot of people didn’t believe in us. Congratulations to Zadar for a great fight. I don’t think a series like this, going to five games, has been played in years. We’re exhausted, both us and Zadar. This is what you play for, this is what you live for”.

Krešimir Radovčić, Cibona captain: “When we gathered on August 28, there were only six of us at practice. Step by step we built something special. First of all, we had a great group of people, and only then basketball players. There wasn’t a single incident all year. After that loss in Dubrava, nobody gave us even a ten percent chance to finish in the top four, let alone become champions. We believed in each other and in the end won the title".

Danijel Jusup, Zadar head coach: “Congratulations to Cibona. They deserved to win and deserved this title. They dominated the boards and shot 48 percent from three. We had our chances in the first half to pull away but didn’t capitalize. Later, when they started making shots, uncertainty crept into our game and they gained confidence. It’s hard playing in front of 9,000 people at home when you’re expected to win. We lacked freshness after more than 70 games this season. I feel sad and empty because we missed our opportunity”.

Karlo Žganec, Zadar player: “Congratulations to Cibona. We had open shots in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead but missed them. They slowly cut the margin and then hit several difficult threes in the fourth quarter. It was an exhausting series, and in the key moments they stayed calmer, fresher, and more accurate".

The statistics can be viewed HERE.