Division I Round 20 (Regular Season): Siroki edge Mladost by two points

The Regular Season in Division I is slowly approaching the end. But there may be still some important changes in the final standings in the last 3 rounds. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

Eighth-ranked Mladost (8-10) made lots of trouble for first ranked Siroki (17-2) in Mrkonjic Grad on Monday. The visitors from Siroki Brijeg managed to secure only two-point victory 66-64. However their fans expected much easier game. The best player for the winners was American guard Zach Nutall (190, college: SMU) who scored 25 points and 5 rebounds. Croatian point guard Martin Junakovic (188-1994, agency: PEPI SPORT) chipped in 11 points and 4 assists. Forward Lazar Djurovic (202-1997, college: Dominican, CA) produced 17 points and 8 rebounds for the hosts. Siroki have an impressive eight-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-2 record. Mladost at the other side dropped to the seventh place with ten games lost. Siroki are looking forward to face Posusje (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Mladost will play against Slavija (#10) and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Sarajevo. Second ranked Bosna faced 4th ranked Borac. Host Bosna (16-3) defeated guests from Banja Luka (11-8) 70-60. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Borac BL. Serbian power forward Milivoje Bozovic (210-1985) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 15 rebounds. Sead Hadzifejzovic contributed with 13 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Serbian Vuk Boskovic (200-2003) replied with 13 points and 8 rebounds for Borac. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bosna have an impressive nine-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 16-3 record behind leader Siroki. Borac at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Bosna's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Sarajevo to the arena Spars.
Leader Siroki delivered the seventeenth victory on Saturday night. This time they crushed 10th ranked Slavija (6-13) 97-74 in Sarajevo. Worth to mention a quality performance of Mateo Colak who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds. Siroki's coach Ivan Velic felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Darko Damjanovic responded with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Siroki (17-2) have an impressive eight-game winning streak. They maintain first position. Slavija lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the tenth place with 13 games lost. Siroki will meet at home Posusje (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Slavija will play against Mladost in Mrkonjic Grad and hope to secure a win.

Rest of the games of round 20 were quite predictable and ended without any surprises. Here they are:
Mladost crushed Leotar in Mrkonjic Grad 90-71. Orlovik beat Spars at home 100-92. Promo lost to Posusje on the opponent's court 57-68. Sloboda managed to outperform Prijedor in a home game 80-71.



Bosna S. - Borac BL 70-60

An exciting game between Top Four teams was played in Sarajevo. Second ranked Bosna faced 4th ranked Borac. Host Bosna (16-3) defeated guests from Banja Luka (11-8) 70-60. It ended at the same time the three-game winning streak of Borac BL. Serbian power forward Milivoje Bozovic (210-1985) orchestrated the victory with a double-double by scoring 10 points and 15 rebounds. Power forward Sead Hadzifejzovic (202-1989) contributed with 13 points and 8 rebounds for the winners. Four Bosna S. players scored in double figures. Serbian Vuk Boskovic (200-2003) replied with 13 points and 8 rebounds and American point guard Jarrod West (182-1999, college: Louisville) added 13 points and 6 rebounds in the effort for Borac. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Bosna have an impressive nine-game winning streak. They maintain second position with 16-3 record behind leader Siroki. Borac at the other side keeps the fourth place with eight games lost. Bosna's supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will travel locally in Sarajevo to the arena Spars.
Top scorers:
Bosna S.: S.Hadzifejzovic 13+8reb+2ast, J.Zubac 13+3reb+1ast, D.Caruthers 11+1reb+4ast, M.Bozovic 10+15reb, H.Curevac 7+4reb+2ast, L.Jovanovic 6+4reb+1ast
Borac BL: B.Vuk 13+8reb+3ast, J.West 13+6reb+3ast, D.Milosevic 9+4reb+2ast, S.Grubelic 7+5reb+1ast, D.Amsal 7+6reb, R.Seslija 6+4reb+2ast

Leotar - Mladost 71-90

We cannot really consider it an upset in the game between close teams in Trebinje where 7th ranked Leotar (8-11) was crushed by eighth ranked Mladost (8-10) 90-71 on Sunday. Mladost had a 33-22 advantage in offensive rebounds. Worth to mention a great performance of naturalized Serbian Dejan Cup (202-1983, agency: Interperformances) who helped to win the game recording 17 points and 8 rebounds and Serbian swingman Bogdan Mikavica (194-1999, agency: Tolakh Tsimur) who added 14 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Five Mladost players scored in double figures. Nemanja Milidragovic (200-1997) responded with a double-double by scoring 11 points and 12 rebounds and swingman Dejan Sakotic (195-1993, agency: PEPI SPORT) scored 15 points. Leotar's coach Marko Icelic rotated eleven players seeing no chance for a win. Mladost moved-up to seventh place. Leotar lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the eighth position with 11 games lost. Mladost will meet at home Slavija (#10) in the next round. Leotar will play against Prijedor and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Mladost: D.Cup 17+8reb+1ast, D.Aleksic 16+2reb+2ast, B.Mikavica 14+8reb+3ast, S.Orhan 12+1reb+1ast, M.Stefan 10+6reb+4ast, M.Popovic 10+9reb
Leotar: D.Sakotic 15+1reb+2ast, M.Nemanja 11+12reb, M.Rikalo 10+2reb+5ast, M.Vasilije 8+4reb+2ast, B.Vuk 8+4reb, M.Marko 6+2reb

Orlovik - Spars 100-92

We could consider it a predictable result in the game between close teams in Zepce where sixth ranked Orlovik (9-10) defeated 5th ranked Spars (10-8) 100-92 on Saturday. Worth to mention a great performance of Slovenian-Turkish forward Emir Preldzic (206-1987) who helped to win the game recording 23 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists and guard Abdul Delic (190-2005) who added 18 points and 8 rebounds during the contest. Orlovik's coach used a ten-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. Center Stefan Simanic (206-2001) responded with a double-double by scoring 16 points and 14 rebounds and American point guard Jordon Talley (185-1995, college: UNCW) scored 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. Newly promoted Orlovik maintains sixth position with 9-10 record. Loser Spars keep the fifth place with eight games lost. Orlovik will meet Promo (#9) in the next round. Spars' supporters look forward to an exciting derby game next round, where their team will face at home their local rival from Sarajevo Bosna.
Top scorers:
Orlovik: E.Preldzic 23+8reb+7ast, R.Rizvic 19+2reb+2ast, D.Abdul 18+8reb+1ast, A.Mehic 15+7reb+1ast, P.Anes 15+2reb+5ast, E.Preldzic 6+4reb
Spars: M.Moore 22+5reb+4ast, J.Talley 20+6reb+5ast, S.Simanic 16+14reb+1ast, M.Zinedin 11+5reb, J.Petrakis 10+4reb, D.Wallace 10+4reb+2ast

Posusje - Promo 68-57

There was a minor upset when 9th ranked Promo (7-12) was defeated on the road by eleventh ranked Posusje (5-14) 68-57 on Saturday. Worth to mention a great performance of American guard Rayshawn Mart (190-1998, college: Xavier, LA) who helped to win the game recording 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals and Canadian guard Quinton Gray (190, college: Queen's, agency: Starting 5) who added 17 points during the contest. Mart is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. American forward Zool Kueth (201, college: Tennessee St.) responded with a double-double by scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds and guard Dino Alkic (194-1996) scored 8 points and 14 rebounds. Posusje maintains eleventh position with 5-14 record. Loser Promo keeps the ninth place with 12 games lost. Posusje will meet league's leader Siroki in the next round and they do not belong to the favorites in that game. Promo will play against Orlovik (#6) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Posusje: Q.Gray 17+3reb+2ast, R.Mart 15+7reb+4ast, M.Zovko 11+6reb+2ast, I.Milicevic 9+7reb+3ast, C.Butler 8+9reb+1ast, D.Jukic 5+3reb+1ast
Promo: Z.Kueth 14+11reb, K.Punter 11+5reb+1ast, D.Alkic 8+14reb+2ast, I.Josipovic 6+2reb+2ast, I.Mulaomerovic 4+2ast, V.Kovacevic 4+3reb

Slavija - Siroki 74-97

Leader Siroki delivered the seventeenth victory on Saturday night. This time they crushed 10th ranked Slavija (6-13) 97-74 in Sarajevo. Worth to mention a quality performance of naturalized Croatian power forward Mateo Colak (205-1998) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 24 points and 12 rebounds and Croatian point guard Martin Junakovic (188-1994, agency: PEPI SPORT) who added 17 points and 4 assists during the contest. Five Siroki players scored in double figures. Siroki's coach Ivan Velic felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Power forward Darko Damjanovic (200-1990) responded with 14 points and 8 rebounds and American guard Henry Tanksley (192-1999, college: Peru St.) scored 21 points. Siroki (17-2) have an impressive eight-game winning streak. They maintain first position. Slavija lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the tenth place with 13 games lost. Siroki will meet at home Posusje (#11) in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Slavija will play against Mladost in Mrkonjic Grad and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Siroki: M.Colak 24+12reb+3ast, C.Josip 20+4reb, M.Junakovic 17+4reb+4ast, D.Brala 14+4reb+5ast, V.Dominik 14+2reb+1ast, M.Nikola 6+2reb
Slavija: H.Tanksley 21+2reb+1ast, D.Damjanovic 14+8reb+3ast, J.Srdjan 12+8reb, A.Ilic 9+3reb+3ast, D.Elez 7+1ast, F.Njegovanovic 5+1reb+1ast

Sloboda T. - Prijedor 80-71

Very predictable result in Tuzla where fourth ranked Sloboda (12-7) beat bottom-ranked Prijedor (4-15) 80-71 on Friday. Sloboda dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Prijedor's 20. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international center Ismet Sejfic (208-1993, agency: Interperformances) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 21 points and 21 rebounds and Nigerian Devine Eke (203-1996, college: Radford) who added 18 points and 7 rebounds during the contest. Four Sloboda T. players scored in double figures. Sloboda T.'s coach Dragoljub Vidacic used entire bench saving starting five for next games. Serbian point guard Nemanja Stankovic (181-2000) responded with 18 points and 8 rebounds and naturalized Serbian point guard Srdjan Loncar (184-1991) scored 18 points. Sloboda have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place. Prijedor lost seventh consecutive game. Newly promoted team stay at the bottom position with 15 games lost. Sloboda will meet Borac (#4) in the next round. Prijedor will play against Leotar (#8) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Sloboda T.: I.Sejfic 21+21reb+1ast, D.Eke 18+7reb+1ast, D.Lelic 13+4reb+1ast, G.Asim 10+2reb, J.Peltier 8+4reb+7ast, N.Omerovic 3+5reb+1ast
Prijedor: S.Nemanja 18+8reb+3ast, S.Loncar 18+4reb, G.Rajko 11+8reb+2ast, B.Lulic 9+9reb+1ast, B.Andrej 9+3reb+1ast, N.Gosnell 6+10reb+1ast

Mladost - Siroki 64-66

Eighth-ranked Mladost (8-10) made lots of trouble for first ranked Siroki (17-2) in Mrkonjic Grad on Monday. The visitors from Siroki Brijeg managed to secure only two-point victory 66-64. However their fans expected much easier game. The best player for the winners was American guard Zach Nutall (190, college: SMU) who scored 25 points and 5 rebounds. Croatian point guard Martin Junakovic (188-1994, agency: PEPI SPORT) chipped in 11 points and 4 assists. Forward Lazar Djurovic (202-1997, college: Dominican, CA) produced 17 points and 8 rebounds and Serbian forward Matija Popovic (200-1996) added 13 points and 6 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Siroki have an impressive eight-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 17-2 record. Mladost at the other side dropped to the seventh place with ten games lost. Siroki are looking forward to face Posusje (#11) at home in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Mladost will play against Slavija (#10) and is hoping to prove to their fans that this time they can win.
Top scorers:
Siroki: Z.Nutall 25+5reb+2ast, M.Junakovic 11+4reb+4ast, D.Brala 9+3reb, C.Josip 8+4reb, J.Jukic 6+3reb, M.Colak 3+3reb
Mladost: L.Djurovic 17+8reb+1ast, M.Popovic 13+6reb+1ast, D.Aleksic 10+2reb+3ast, D.Cup 8+4reb+1ast, M.Stefan 7+4reb+3ast, S.Antionio 5+2reb