If there was even an iota of doubt, after everything we've witnessed in the last ten months, it can be said with certainty that basketball is the number one sport in our country. We witnessed a tremendous release of energy
The best possible prelude to the start of the club season was brought by the Serbian national team, which achieved great success at the last Olympic Games and returned from France with a bronze medal, and the participation of Partizan and Crvena Zvezda in the Euroleague was just around the corner.
Belgrade's eternal rivals approached new challenges with great ambitions. The previous season, the black and whites finished as the 11th and the red and whites as only the 16th team of the elite European basketball competition, certainly far from what the armies of their fans wished for. Red Star managed to 2023/24. closed by winning the ABA League, while Partizan failed completely, being left without a trophy and the playoffs of the European competition, after a fantastic year in which they almost went to the Final Four of the Euroleague.
All this led to a stormy and active summer in the club premises of the Belgrade rivals. Crvena zvezda kept whoever they wanted (Bolomboj, Jago, Gedraitis, Davidovac, Nedović) and brought in several renowned and expensive reinforcements (Miller-McIntyre, Kenan, Dobrić), while Partizan decided to make a complete reconstruction of the lineup - only Balša Koprivica remained from last season's team, and as many as 14 new basketball players arrived in the opposite direction. The professional staffs did not undergo any changes, so Sferopoulos on the one hand, and Obradović on the other hand, started making plans for the next season. And the plans – with the current budgets and conditions they enjoy – had to be big.
RISES AND DOWNS IN THE ELITE RANK OF EUROPEAN BASKETBALL
Crvena zvezda was in the lead at the start. They entered the new season with three trophies from the previous one (Cup, ABA League, KLS), while objectively they could only do better in the Euroleague because it was hard to believe that they would repeat the season in which they recorded only 11 wins and won 16th place. Coach Sferopoulos enjoyed great trust and support, especially after seven consecutive victories over Obradović's Partizan. In addition, at the beginning of the season, they managed to bring the national team member and their former player Filip Petrushev on loan from the Greek Olympiakos. When this was followed by big victories against teams like Fenerbahçe and Monaco (future Euroleague finalists), the belief was created that this Red Star team can do a lot.
On the other hand, the completely new Partizan team had a rocky start to the season. After two wins in the first four rounds of the Euroleague, the black and whites lost the next six games, so they found themselves at 2-8 and in an almost hopeless situation. A large number of defeats were recorded by the black and whites in "one ball" games, where they often had no luck in the decisive moments, nor favorable refereeing criteria, but that was a weak consolation for Partizan fans. The team played well, but failed to find a way to bring the games to an end and record victories. This opened the question of the responsibility of Željko Obradović - the most trophy-winning and influential coach in the history of European, and therefore Serbian basketball - so they he was asked tricky, some would say provocative questions at press conferences.
The first big turning point in the season was the opening Euroleague derby between the Belgrade rivals. In a disastrous moment, Partizan went to the feet of the crippled Red Star, so a routine victory for the Greek strategist was expected. Nevertheless, Željko Obradović masterfully prepared the game, but also the heads of his players, who chose the right moment to show themselves in the best light - Partizan convincingly celebrated and proved to its fans that this team can do a lot. This was followed by four consecutive victories in the elite European competition, the main favorites to win the Euroleague - Olympiakos and Panathinaikos - fell "in hell" at the Belgrade Arena, so the black and white escaped from a hopeless situation and returned to the fight for the playoffs.
From that point on, it looked like both teams had a real chance to do big things. The good games and results continued, so the black and whites went to the Radivoj Korac Cup with a score of 14-12 in the Euroleague, while the red and whites practically saw themselves with one foot in the playoffs with a score of 16-10. The final tournament of the Cup traditionally brought tensions, announcements, sliding on the field, scandalous refereeing decisions at the end of the games (starting with the duel between Spartak and FMP), but also a trophy for Red Star, for which this was the fifth consecutive KRK trophy. This time, the weakened black and white came really close, as they were two hits away from Karlik Jones away from victory. The Partizan playmaker scored only one shot, while the second one caused a lot of shouts from the public because during his performance several lighters flew past Jones from the part of the stands where the Red Star fans are. Partizan complained and appealed for the free throws to be repeated, but the referees remained silent, so it went into extra time, where the experience and greater rotation of the red and whites came to the fore.
After the Radivoje Korac Cup, the focus shifted again to the Euroleague, where both teams ended up with disastrous results. By the end of the Euroleague season, Partizan achieved only two victories in eight games, which was enough to repeat the score from the previous season (16-18) and take 12th place in the table. Crvena zvezda, which until that moment had almost no results, began to lose less often where it was not expected - on the home field against Zalgiris, Milan, Real Madrid and Efes, so they also achieved only two more victories and in the end barely won the 10th place that brings a place in the play-offs. In it, the red and whites were defeated at the very first hurdle, in Munich against Bayern, in a game that brought great uncertainty, drama, overtime and the victory of the home team with a score of 97:93.
In this way, both teams prematurely ended their participation in the competition that largely determines whether their season is successful or not. At certain moments, both teams seemed like very powerful teams that could go far, but the setbacks were equally extreme. Also, both teams had a solid share of problems in the form of injuries and defeats in the last seconds, but the general impression is that they could and should have done better.
CONSOLATION IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE OF YUGOSLAVIA
In the previous two years, the ABA league served as a kind of consolation prize, with which the winner cheers up the army of fans, justifies the high prices of season tickets and creates a wave of euphoria ahead of the transfer window and anticipation of the new season. That is why the ABA league has not lost its importance, even after realizing that the title itself does not bring safe and free Euroleague play. A trophy is a trophy, and the title of regional champion still carries weight, especially after the entry of ambitious Dubai into the competition ahead of the 2024/25 season. The club from the UAE has put together a very good team, filled with numerous players with experience playing in the Eurocup and Euroleague, and Davis Bertans, a former member of Partizan and numerous NBA teams, arrived as the icing on the cake. Apart from them, Budućnost and Cedevita Olimpija announced significantly better games and results than before, while ambitious Spartak from Subotica became a new member of the league, led with great success from the bench by former Partizan coach and winner of the Adriatic League Vladimir Jovanović.
Although Crvena zvezda announced a new trophy and a minimal number of defeats, Partizan started the season much better. Already in the first round, an advantage was created over Red Star, which was defeated in Dubai, while the black and whites solved things quite routinely and convincingly in the regional league. One of the main criticisms of last season's Partizan was related to the way they approached games in domestic competitions, and it was believed that the new team would take away games like those in Novi Mesto and Zadar much more seriously. That was indeed the case - Partizan was less talented in terms of players than in previous seasons, there were no more players like Panther and Ledej, but there were more who were not ashamed to play in anything below the Euroleague. Unlike previous seasons, the black and whites had no setbacks in this one - they were defeated only by Buducnost (twice), Crvena zvezda and Dubai - so they ended the regular season with a score of 26-4. Budućnost also had this score, so thanks to the victories over Partizan, they finished in the first position and with home field advantage in the playoffs.
The playoffs started with the quarter-final series, and among the eight best teams in the ABA league there were four representatives of Serbia - along with the eternal rivals, there were also Spartak and Mega. Partizan eliminated Spartak 2-0, and Crvena zvezda eliminated Igoke, so the Belgrade clubs, as expected, found themselves in the semi-finals. Here we should take the opportunity to congratulate Spartak and Maga on their excellent seasons, who exceeded expectations and played very good basketball. In the premier ABA season, Spartak managed to defeat Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and hard-fought Partizan in four games, while Mega presented new young basketball players (Petrović, Jelavić, Marković, Jović), as well as the fantastic coach Marko Barać. At the time of writing, Spartak is the only confirmed finalist of the Serbian Basketball League after they sensationally knocked out Red Star in the semi-finals 2-0.
In the semifinals of the ABA League, Partizan played against Dubi, whom Željko Obradović's team managed to eliminate in the master's game, after being very convincing in the first game, while they practically lost the second game by themselves. Crvena zvezda paid the price with numerous defeats in the regular part of the championship, which were as many as seven, so they had to face Budućnost in Podgorica. This playoff of the ABA league could not pass without tension either, because in the first game of the series Budućnost - Crvena zvezda there was almost a fight between the players, after which the field was littered with objects, one of which was returned to the stands by Nikola Kalinic. The former Serbian national team member received a three-game suspension for that move, and Buducnost received a penalty in the form of a reduction in capacity to only 30% in the third game. The first two games were won by the home teams, so the trip to the finals was decided by the crazy finish of the tournament, in which the best basketball player of the Future, McKinley Wright, scored an incredible three-pointer with the sound of the siren for his team's victory.
In this way, Budućnost and Partizan met in the final series for the first time since the 2001/02 season. and the finals of the FR Yugoslavia Championship. Just like more than two decades ago, the Blue and Whites from Podgorica once again had the home field advantage and the Black and Whites from Belgrade came out as champions again. The road to the title was paved by the black and whites with an unreal turnaround in the first game, in which Budućnost had an eight-point lead with 45 seconds left. The visitors, on the wings of the fantastic Sterling Brown, managed to get hold of the extra time, in which Tyreek Jones and Izak Bonga took matters into their own hands, so Partizan reached the golden "break". With a furious game in the second half of the second game, Buducnost evened the result in the series, but they had two games waiting for them in the crowded Belgrade Arena.
Partizan fans are eager for trophies and very dissatisfied with the treatment of the club by the state, so it was clear that the opposing team was waiting for an electrified atmosphere and thunderous support for the black and whites. This was able to be an aggravating factor for the new Partizan team during the season, in which they lost numerous games at home that they shouldn't have (Virtus, Asvel, Crvena zvezda, Efes), but by the time of the playoffs of the ABA league, Željko Obradović managed to create a mentally and tactically strong enough team.
Partizan spent the greater part of both Belgrade duels in a secure lead thanks to responsible play and a large number of upbeat players - apart from those who performed for most of the season (Brown, K. Jones, T. Jones, Bonga), individuals who were in poor form (Lundberg, Davis) also joined, so the quality and length of Partizan's squad came to the fore at the right time. In a memorable atmosphere, the Black and Whites managed to defeat the team from Podgorica twice and thus reach the eighth championship title of the ABA League, and the 50th trophy in the club's history. What is especially important - the entire final series passed without the usual incidents, threats and announcements, so it was shown in action that such a thing is possible.
FACTOR OBRADOVIC
At the end of the previous season, but also for the greater part of this season, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the performance of Željko Obradović during his current tenure on the Partizan bench. He was reproached for winning only one trophy in the previous three years, seven consecutive defeats against Red Star and 11th place at the end of the previous edition of the Euroleague. The previous summer, he was given the opportunity to rebuild the squad, which is not something that coaches resort to, but it is also not something that coaches are often given the opportunity to do. As many say, it is easier to change a coach than a complete team, but not every club has a Željko Obradović on their bench.
The way he led the team during this season, especially in the final of the Radivoj Korac Cup, as well as the playoffs of the ABA League, showed how much he cared about repaying the Partizan fans for their support. His team has the largest attendance in European basketball, and there is almost no away game at the World Cup where there are no black and white fans. After winning the first ABA title after a long and dry ten years, Obradović was highly motivated ahead of this season's playoffs. As he repeatedly emphasized, he believed in this team and the 15 guys he selected. Partizan was one of the few teams in European basketball that did not make any changes in the composition during the year, and the entire playing staff responded in the best way when it was most needed. The black and whites played very maturely in the playoffs, achieving the seven necessary victories with an average difference of over 16 points, which confirms that they reached the title safely and deservedly.
Not that there was too much need, but the playoffs reminded that Željko Obradović is simply an unsurpassed expert in playoff series, when the team needs to be tactically and mentally prepared, but also adapt to numerous (unexpected) events on the field. Partizan was tactically superior, and every player in their composition was completely in the function of the team and the result. Obradović trusted them, they reciprocated, and together they brought the much-desired trophy to the fans.
However, that is not all that Željko Obradović brought to his club, but also to Serbian basketball. It is no coincidence that right after his return, real basketball euphoria was created in our country, which completely suppressed other sports and is comparable only to the hysteria surrounding Novak Djokovic's biggest matches. The matches between Partizan and Crvena zvezda are the most watched in Europe, tickets for the Belgrade Arena are expensive and precious, the budgets of the Eternals are huge, and their ambitions are the highest.
The Belgrade rivals will have at least three years of stability in terms of safe Euroleague play because both clubs recently received - or rather bought - licenses that last three seasons and for which they will have to allocate two million and 250 thousand euros each. Now the leaders of these clubs should make good moves in the transition period and form competitive teams, and the leading people in the basketball structures should reduce tensions and create regular and equal conditions in domestic and regional competitions. Basketball fans in this area deserve to enjoy a fair fight and top quality basketball.
Serbia entered into civil disobedience, and that brings with it consequences. In the days behind us, it became impossible to count those detained, arrested and injured. It will be recorded that police cars ran into peaceful citizens at full speed and that one man wanted to harm himself, under the pressure of the authorities
What did the protest on Saturday June 28 show? What messages and lessons can the government draw from it - and does it do so - and what kind of students and citizens who demonstrate? Was the manifestation of nationalism on Vidovdan expected, potentially dangerous, or does it represent something completely different? What is the position of the regime now, and what is the position of its opponents
The counting of votes in the repeated elections, at one polling place, in a town of 10.000 people, was personally monitored by the President of the State, Aleksandar Vučić, because he knew that if Kosjerić falls, more than one municipal government will be swayed. In the end, SNS managed to retain the election victory, with the usual repertoire - intimidation, demonstration of force and media smearing of opponents.
The citizens and students are so well organized that the police look ridiculous. They run from street to street, from neighborhood to neighborhood, like some confused children. If this rebellion produces the expected result, that is, if Novi Sad really becomes the local Gdańsk - it will undoubtedly be written in golden letters in the history of the city. It will be talked about with pride, just as it is proudly pointed out that in 1748 it became a free, autonomous city, by decree of Empress Maria Theresa. He paid for freedom then, it is always paid for
"After these seven months," says psychologist Zoran Pavlović, "repression becomes quite clearly counterproductive. Regimes that use excessive force often inadvertently mobilize citizens, because violence delegitimizes the government, and gives people moral clarity and emotional strength to oppose. Repression, in other words, will not only passivize society (which the regime plans), but will only strengthen the border between 'us' and 'them', will strengthen the identity of resistance and strengthen cohesion within the group that suffers injustice. The number of people taking to the streets is not decreasing, but increasing"
With a gesture of pumping at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic drew curses and insults from the regime of Aleksandar Vučić. He was put in the same basket with "blockade-terrorists" and "anti-Serbs"
And how will firefighters, police and doctors take care of unsafe tunnels? Well, by keeping an eye on the hill and being ready if the hill falls on the bus, for example
Would you sit down with Aleksandar Vučić at the bar table after he pardoned the progressive men who heroically broke the jaw of a female student with a bat? Apart from the loss of basic moral inhibitions, what else is behind this act
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