SuperSport Premier League: Split derby at Dražen's home

The Yellow side got off to the better start — Antonio Jordano lit up the arena with four three-pointers early in the game, giving KK Split a seven-point lead. However, the home team quickly regrouped; fueled by the support from the stands and strong defense, the Wolves responded with an 8–0 run and turned the score around by the end of the first quarter (25–23).

The first half was played basket for basket, with both sides emphasizing defense. Leon Radošević dominated under the basket, causing major problems for Cibona’s big men, who struggled to contain him.

The battle for every possession continued in the second half. Neither team managed to build a significant advantage until midway through the final quarter, when Split strung together a series of precise offensive possessions and tough defense to take an 84–74 lead with just over three and a half minutes remaining — at that moment, the game appeared decided.

Still, KK Cibona refused to surrender. Despite the deficit, the Wolves showed character, cutting the margin to 88–85 thanks to aggressive full-court pressure and composure from the free-throw line. Seven seconds before the end, the home side even stole the ball and had a possession to tie the game, but the three-pointer that would have forced overtime missed its target — and Split’s celebration could begin.

The top scorer for Cibona was Kamaka Hepa with 15 points, while Split were led by Leon Radošević with 24 and Antonio Jordano with 17 points.

Ivan Rudež, Cibona head coach: “Congratulations to Split on a well-deserved victory. Unfortunately, we did not open the game the way we wanted to — especially in terms of intensity. We allowed them too many open shots, particularly Jordano, and we were unable to establish our transition rhythm. As expected, Split changed the tempo of the game through different defensive setups, including zone defense, to which we sometimes adapted well and sometimes poorly. The key issue was the lack of intensity at the beginning. In the second half we got back into the game, had a chance to force overtime, and I believe the fans were able to enjoy an entertaining basketball game. We now have to analyze our performance, learn from it, and turn our focus toward the game against Reggiana”.

Renato Serdarušić, Cibona player: “Congratulations to Split on the win. As the coach said, this is an ABA League team with a very deep roster. We had our chances — Justin’s final shot unfortunately didn’t go in. Still, we have to stay focused on ourselves, continue working every day, and strive to improve from game to game. Thanks to our fans for the fantastic atmosphere; they were a huge support for us. I hope there will be even more of them at the next games”.