Budućnost VOLI want to keep the 3rd spot in the match against Cibona

Saturday, 16. March 2019 at 08:40

The reigning ABA League champions can no longer reach the 2nd spot, but they still need to secure the 3rd position in front of the 2019 ABA Playoffs. 

Josip Bilinovac (Photo: Cibona/Z. Baksaj, D. Vranar, G. Lausic)

ABA League Round 22, Sunday, 17.3.2019:

BUDUĆNOST VOLI - CIBONA

Where? Sports Center Morača, Podgorica

When? 19:00

Story of the game: Tough day is behind Budućnost VOLI. They firstly lost all chances of reaching the 2nd spot in the regular season, as Cedevita won their match in Round 22 opener, while then the reigning ABA League champions suffered a 20-point defeat against Baskonia in EuroLeague.

Still, Budućnost VOLI need to bounce back as soon as possible, because although they can no longer reach the 2nd spot, they still need to secure the 3rd position in front of the 2019 ABA Playoffs.

Budućnost VOLI currently have 1 win more than 4th placed Partizan NIS, so the math is quite simple. If Budućnost VOLI win their match against Cibona, they will seize the 3rd spot regardless of the outcome of the match between FMP and Partizan NIS.

At the same time, Cibona are on a safe distance from the relegation zone and they have already secured their ABA League status for the next season. It means that the Wolves are traveling to Podgorica without any must-win pressure in their bags and that may help them to play a good game against the reigning champions.

Match-up in focus: Budućnost VOLI center Goga Bitadze was the MVP of the last round and he wants to stay in the same rhythm in order to be fully prepared for the Playoffs. On the other side, Krešimir Ljubičić is the starting center in Cibona, so he will be the one who will try to stop Bitadze. What is interesting about this duel is that both players are very young. Bitadze has 20 years, while Ljubičić is just 1 year older than him.

Head to head in the regional league: In total 17:14; In Podgorica 10:5.

>