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SuperSport Premier League: Dubrava drama against Cibona, the master decides the semi-finalist
In the second match of the SuperSport Premier League playoff quarterfinals, Dubrava won against Cibona 86:84 in a dramatic finale and won the "championship" which will be played in Dražen Petrović Basketball hall
The Wolves led for almost the entire game and held a 12-point advantage late in the third quarter (73–61), but Dubrava, inspired by Lovro Gnjidić and John Wright, managed to force a dramatic finish in which Stellan Rajaofera played the decisive role. First, he hit a three-pointer to tie the game (84–84) with less than two minutes remaining, and then converted free throws with two seconds left to seal the final score at 86–84. KK Cibona also had a chance to win, but Kamaka Hepa missed both free throws ten seconds before the end, while Vigo Bart failed to score on the final shot.
“Congratulations to Dubrava. They shot the ball extremely well and played great one-on-one basketball. We failed to defend their late-clock shots, especially against Gnjidić and Wright, who are very strong one-on-one players. Škifić opened the game really well. We gave away everything we possibly could — from missed free throws and nervous decisions to avoiding responsibility. It was as if we expected the victory to come on its own. This season we’ve earned this situation, and now we move on to Game 3. We are forty minutes away from the semifinals”, said Cibona head coach Ivan Rudež.
Wright scored 23 points, including 20 in the second half. Gnjidić added 20 points and 8 assists, Rajaofera scored 14, and Škifić contributed 10. For Cibona, Renato Serdarušić scored 14 points, while Jan Palokaj and Justin Roberson each added 12.
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