FIBA Europe Cup: Cibona defeats Reggiana and remains 100%

In the opening minutes, the game was physical and hard-fought. Reggiana scored first with a 4–0 run, but Katanović quickly responded with a three-pointer. Rudan then restored Cibona’s lead under the basket and soon added another three to raise the tempo for the Wolves. The scoreboard showed 8–15, and Lončar followed with an emphatic dunk for a +9 lead. Lorenzo Uglietti hit a three to cut the deficit to 13–17.

Matej Rudan stood out in the first quarter, leading the team with his energy and determination while also becoming the first player to reach double digits in the game. Although the hosts leveled the score at 18–18 late in the quarter, Roberson knocked down a three to give Cibona a new lead, 18–21.

The second quarter started more slowly, with nearly two minutes without a basket. After a foul by Lončar, Reggiana closed the gap to -1 from the free-throw line, but Kamaka Hepa immediately answered with another three to put the Wolves up by four. The experienced Smith responded in kind, but at a crucial moment Vigo Bart hit a three in the 7th minute for 29–34. Šiško then scored to give Cibona its largest lead of the game, +10.

The first half was marked by excellent shooting from the Zagreb team, who made 7 of their 12 three-point attempts. At halftime, the score stood at 31–39 in favor of Cibona.

In the second half, Reggiana showed more aggression and focus. They managed to cut the lead on several occasions, but Cibona maintained control of the game. Throughout the third quarter, the Wolves’ advantage hovered between 7 and 8 points. Roberson scored to extend the lead to +10 again, but the hosts refused to give up. Tomas Woldetensae hit a three late in the quarter, and Williams added a powerful dunk to lift the atmosphere in the arena.

The final ten minutes brought real drama. Cibona entered the last quarter with a 7-point lead, but Reggiana kept fighting. In the first three minutes, the hosts capitalized on several Cibona mistakes and, with a series of fast breaks, cut the deficit to just -2. The crowd came alive as the game entered a tense phase. Cibona pushed the lead back to +7, with a three-pointer by Krešimir Radovčić helping to keep things under control.

The last two minutes were tense on both sides as they battled for a narrow victory. Rudan fouled out with five fouls and was replaced by Lončar. Roberson scored to make it 66–72. The experienced Smith hit another three, but Roberson responded in the same way. Uglietti made free throws to bring it to 73–75. The score remained 73–75, sealing a victory for the Wolves over Reggiana.

For the Wolves, Matej Rudan led the way with 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Kamaka Hepa also reached double figures with 11 points. Šiško recorded an all-around performance with 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. For the home side Reggiana, Troy Caupain was the top performer with 18 points.

The statistics can be viewed HERE.