Liga OTP banka Round 1 (Regular Season): Sentjur loses to Krka

The Regular Season in Liga OTP banka just started. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Sentjur in Novo Mesto on Tuesday night. Visitors were rolled over by Krka 87-55. Krka made 21-of-23 free shots (91.3 percent) during the game. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Krka made 7 blocks. American point guard Diante Baldwin (182-1994, college: UNCG, agency: Slash Sports) fired 14 points and 6 assists for the winners. ex-international point guard Jon Dolnicar (183-2004) chipped in 16 points and 5 assists. Krka's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Swingman Ozbej Glavan (198-2001) produced 19 points for lost side. Krka is looking forward to face Zlatorog in Lasko in the next round. Sentjur will play at home against Sencur Gor. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Another exciting game was played in Domzale between Hopsi Polzela and Helios Suns where Hopsi Polzela beat Helios Suns on the road with 15-point difference 74-59. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international power forward Dino Muric (201-1990) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds. Kameron Hobbs contributed with 24 points for the winners. Hopsi Polzela's coach Nejc Kobal allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. point guard Filip Pirs (190-2005) answered with 12 points and 8 rebounds for Helios Suns. Hopsi Polzela will play against Rogaska in Rogaska Slatina in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Helios Suns will play on the road against Nova Gorica and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
An interesting game was played in Rogaska Slatina where Sencur Gor. beat host Rogaska with 17-point difference 92-75 on Saturday evening. Luka Majstorovic stepped up with a double-double by scoring 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners. At the losing side Jalen Reynolds responded with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Sencur Gor. will meet Sentjur on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Rogaska will play against Hopsi Polzela and hope to win that game.

In the last two games of round 1 Nova Gorica lost to Ilirija in Ljubljana 59-86. Zlatorog beat Triglav at home 72-69.



Krka - Sentjur 87-55:
The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Sentjur in Novo Mesto on Tuesday night. Visitors were rolled over by Krka 87-55. Krka made 21-of-23 free shots (91.3 percent) during the game. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Krka made 7 blocks. American point guard Diante Baldwin (182-1994, college: UNCG, agency: Slash Sports) fired 14 points and 6 assists for the winners. ex-international point guard Jon Dolnicar (183-2004) chipped in 16 points and 5 assists. Four Krka players scored in double figures. Krka's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Swingman Ozbej Glavan (198-2001) produced 19 points and Serbian power forward Sreten Knezevic (206-1994) added 10 points and 8 rebounds respectively for lost side. Krka is looking forward to face Zlatorog in Lasko in the next round. Sentjur will play at home against Sencur Gor. and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sentjur: O.Glavan 19+4reb+2ast, S.Knezevic 10+8reb+1ast, R.Pajk 8+4reb, Z.Nejc 7+2reb+4ast, M.Dolinsek 6+4reb, L.Vid 3
Krka: D.Jon 16+1reb+5ast, S.Naje 15+4reb+1ast, B.Diante 14+3reb+6ast, K.Jaka 12+3reb+3ast, R.Jan 8+2reb, S.Galin 6+2reb

Ilirija - Nova Gorica 86-59:
Ilirija used a home court advantage and crushed the opponent from Nova Gorica 86-59 on Wednesday night. Ilirija made 16-of-20 free shots (80.0 percent) during the game. Ilirija had a 28-17 advantage in offensive rebounds. It was a great shooting night for Ilirija especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 53.3 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. Serbian forward Stefan Todorovic (203-2002, college: Pepperdine) stepped up and scored 12 points and 5 assists for the winners and American forward Cole Hargrove (203-2004, college: Providence) chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds. Five Ilirija players scored in double figures. At the losing side Igor Struger (204-2001) responded with 13 points and 8 rebounds and Leon Jereb (192-2007) scored 11 points. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Ilirija will meet Triglav in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Nova Gorica will play against Helios Suns and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Nova Gorica: I.Struger 13+8reb, L.Jereb 11+1reb+3ast, M.Aljaz 9+4reb+2ast, L.Arian 7+2reb+2ast, J.Klobucar 7+1reb+5ast, J.Kilibarda 4+6reb+1ast
Ilirija: H.Vit 13+3reb, T.Stefan 12+2reb+5ast, H.Cole 11+7reb, M.Edo 11+2reb+1ast, C.Matej 10+2reb+4ast, C.Jan 6+2reb+2ast

Helios Suns - Hopsi Polzela 59-74:
Another exciting game was played in Domzale between Hopsi Polzela and Helios Suns where Hopsi Polzela beat Helios Suns on the road with 15-point difference 74-59. Hopsi Polzela brought some defensive toughness making 8 blocks. Helios Suns were plagued by 26 personal fouls down the stretch. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international power forward Dino Muric (201-1990) who helped to win the game recording a double-double by scoring 15 points and 13 rebounds. American point guard Kameron Hobbs (178-2002, college: Morgan St.) contributed with 24 points for the winners. Hopsi Polzela's coach Nejc Kobal allowed to play the deep bench players saving starting five for next games. point guard Filip Pirs (190-2005) answered with 12 points and 8 rebounds and power forward Lovro Lapajne (203-2007) added 10 points and 7 rebounds in the effort for Helios Suns. Hopsi Polzela will play against Rogaska in Rogaska Slatina in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Helios Suns will play on the road against Nova Gorica and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Helios Suns: C.Cabrilo 13+1reb+1ast, F.Pirs 12+8reb+3ast, L.Lovro 10+7reb+2ast, J.Flerin 9+7reb+2ast, D.Gueye 9+7reb, J.Karisik 2+1reb
Hopsi Polzela: H.Kameron 24+3reb+2ast, M.Dino 15+13reb+3ast, D.Nik 9+4reb+1ast, F.Ziga 8+9reb, V.Daniel 6+3reb+7ast, B.Nejc 5+4ast

Zlatorog - Triglav 72-69:
Zlatorog used a home court advantage and edged the opponent from Kranj 72-69 on Saturday night. American forward Mahmoud Bangura (201-2003, college: UNCP) stepped up and scored 21 points and 7 rebounds for the winners and forward Taij Pesjak (196-2007) chipped in 13 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Four Zlatorog players scored in double figures. At the losing side Anej Orel (203-2002) responded with 19 points and 6 rebounds and ex-international Leon Santelj (205-1995) scored 13 points. Triglav's coach rotated ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Zlatorog will meet Krka in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Triglav will play against Ilirija and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Triglav: A.Orel 19+6reb+1ast, L.Santelj 13+3reb+2ast, M.Mikus 10+4reb, N.Belko 6+1reb+8ast, I.Zukanovic 6+8reb+1ast, P.Matic 6+2reb+1ast
Zlatorog: B.Mahmoud 21+7reb, S.Artese 16+3reb+5ast, P.Taij 13+7reb+7ast, D.Patrik 11+3reb, S.Josip 5+3reb, R.Erolt 4+2reb

Rogaska - Sencur Gor. 75-92:
An interesting game was played in Rogaska Slatina where Sencur Gor. beat host Rogaska with 17-point difference 92-75 on Saturday evening. Sencur Gor. dominated down low during the game scoring 60 of its points in the paint compared to Rogaska's 38. Sencur Gor. looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. Serbian center Luka Majstorovic (207-1996, college: Embry Riddle) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists for the winners and forward Samed Grosic (201-2007) chipped in 14 points and 6 rebounds. At the losing side American power forward Jalen Reynolds (201-1999, college: Southern) responded with a double-double by scoring 12 points and 10 rebounds and the other American import point guard Jalen Benjamin (178-2001, college: Santa Clara) scored 13 points and 5 assists. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Sencur Gor. will meet Sentjur on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Rogaska will play against Hopsi Polzela and hope to win that game.
Top scorers:
Rogaska: J.Benjamin 13+4reb+5ast, B.Markovic 13+5reb, J.Reynolds 12+10reb, P.Tabak 10+1reb+3ast, R.Kozel 9+4reb+2ast, J.Dornik 8+4reb
Sencur Gor.: L.Majstorovic 20+10reb+4ast, L.Xavier 15+3reb+4ast, S.Grosic 14+6reb+3ast, V.Ricards 11+4reb+2ast, H.Filip 9+2reb, N.Jan 6+4reb+8ast