The 2024 NLB ABA League 2 playoffs are set to get underway!
The stage is set as the 2024 NLB ABA League 2 Playoffs are here and 8 teams battle it out for a spot in the AdmiralBet ABA League.
The stage is set as the 2024 NLB ABA League 2 Playoffs are here and 8 teams battle it out for a spot in the AdmiralBet ABA League.
Spartak Office Shoes (11-2), Vojvodina mts (10-3), Zlatibor Gold Gondola (10-3), Široki TT Kabeli (9-4), MZT Skopje Aerodrom (8-5), Podgorica (8-5), Sutjeska Elektroprivreda (6-7), Kansai Helios (6-7) all locked up playoff spots through the course of the regular season. This year's Playoffs will be a little different than we have seen in the last few seasons, they will be played in a knockout system, and each stage (quarter-finals, semi-finals, final) will be played in the home & away format, with the better-placed team in the regular season playing the 2nd leg at home court. The team that scores more points on aggregate over the two legs will advance to the next round.
SPARTAK OFFICE SHOES (1) - KANSAI HELIOS DOMŽALE (8)
Last season's #1 seed, Kansai Helios Domžale, will take on this season's #1 Spartak Office Shoes in the quarterfinals.
Spartak Office Shoes locked up the 1-seed with just 2 losses in 13 games, they ended the season with a 5-game win streak. This season Spartak Office Shoes was the second-best scoring team in the league, they scored about 86 points per game throughout 13 games this season. Filip Barna was stellar for Vladimir Jovanović's squad, he put up great numbers, 17.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Kansai Helios Domžale secured the final playoff spot with a 1-point 76:75 win in round 13 against Podgorica. Kansai Helios Domžale is a team with quick hands on the defensive end as they led the league in steals with 8.25 steals per game. Captain Blaž Mahkovič had another great season for his squad, he led Kansai Helios in scoring with 17.5 points per game while dishing out 4.7 assists per game.
Spartak Office Shoes won 80:73 in the lone meeting between these two teams. The first game between these two teams is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9th at 18:00 in Domžale.
VOJVODINA MTS (2) - SUTJESKA ELEKTROPRIVREDA (7)
The #2 seed Vojvodina mts will take on this season's #7 seed Sutjeska Elektroprivreda.
Vojvodina mts got their way to the #2 seed with a 10-3 record in the regular season. Vojvodina mts has a big presence in the paint with big men like Nikolić, Savić, and Johnson controlling the boards, they were the best rebounding team in the regular season with a league-leading 37.15 rebounds a game. Former Budućnost VOLI center Zoran Nikolić had a great season for Vojvodina mts, he joined the team following the new year and in 6 games he averaged 11.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
Following a slow 3-6 start to the season, in the final 4 games of the season they went 3-1 to squeeze into the playoffs. Radosav Spasojević returned to his hometown club at the start of the season and he played great for them, he averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game for Sutjeska.
In round 5 these two teams met this season, Vojvodina mts got the big 79:62 win against Sutjeska Elektroprivreda. Game 1 will take place on Wednesday, April 10th with tipoff set for 18:00 in Nikšić.
ZLATIBOR GOLD GONDOLA (3) - PODGORICA (6)
2022 NLB ABA League 2 champions, Zlatibor Gold Gondola, secured the 3 spot with a 10-3 record and will take on Podgorica who enter this year's playoffs as the 3 seed with an 8-5 record.
Zlatibor Gold Gondola was this season's best-scoring team, they put up 88.62 points per game. Jan Rebec was the top scorer on the league top scoring team, he averaged 16.8 points per game, he even scored 33 points in Zlatibor Gold Gondola's round 6 win against Kansai Helios.
Podgorica has a great regular season behind them, they fell to the 6 seed in the final game of the season after their loss to Kansai Helios. This season, Podgorica was one of two teams to beat the #1 seed Spartak Office Shoes and proved that they can beat any of the league's top teams this year. Brandon Demitre Sly was Podgorica's top scorer this season, he averaged 15.6 points per game this year while dishing out 5.5 assists a game.
Zlatibor Gold Gondola got a convincing 90:68 win against Podgorica this season in round 9. Game 1 is set for Tuesday, April 9th at 20:00 in Podgorica.
ŠIROKI TT KABELI (4) - MZT SKOPJE AERODROM (5)
The always interesting 4 vs. 5 series will go on between Široki TT Kabeli (9-4) and MZT Skopje Aerodrom (8-5).
Široki TT Kabeli was great throughout the first half of the season, they opened with a 7-1 record after 8 rounds. The departure of Nutall hurt the squad from Široki Brijeg but after three games newcomer Carlo Antonio Pepin fit in well. Former Zadar point guard had a stellar season in his return to regional courts, he joined Široki TT Kabeli and instantly made an impact, he led the team in scoring with 16.8 points per game while handing out 5.5 assists a night.
After spending a season in the regional top-flight MZT Skopje Aerodrom returned to the NLB ABA League 2 and ended the regular season with an 8-5 record. They suffered a shock in the first tournament as they were defeated by newcomers Cedevita Junior and last year's finalists Kansai Helios but they bounded back and got 7 more wins in the next 4 tournaments to lock up the 5 spot. Experienced MZT Skpoje Aerodrom veteran, Vojdan Stojanovski, had a great season, at the age of 36 he was his team's top performer averaging 14.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
These two teams played for the 4 seed in the final game of the season where Široki TT Kabeli got the narrow 82:79 win. Game 1 will take place on Wednesday, April 10th, starting at 20:00 in Skopje.
