Partizan basketball players took a 1:0 lead in the ABA League semifinal series against Crvena zvezda, as they celebrated with 100:94 in front of their fans after an unprecedented drama.
What a match we watched, it was practically all over, and then the black-and-whites squandered a +20 lead in the final moments…
It is difficult to even explain what happened in this game. The first half was quite balanced, but thanks only to Jordan Nwora, who was the only one who wanted to play basketball in the red-and-white jersey.
Somehow, for most of the time, Zvezda looked like a team that did not play in the EuroLeague this season, like someone who is miles behind Partizan. Zvezda fans in front of their TV screens were certainly waiting for Saša Obradović to do something, to shake up the team and show some kind of game. They waited until the very end.
It seemed during this match, already in the third quarter, that the game was decided. At those moments, Partizan went to +20, when Jordan Nwora stopped, having no help. Codi was not there for you, he did not play, which is not the first time since his departure from the club has been mentioned. Aside from him, some players were again forgotten on the bench, without any reason. This is not the first time this season.
Partizan took advantage of all of this, Joan Peñarroya put the pieces together again, made a great preparation for the match again, and dominated again. He punished all the mistakes of his opponent on the other side, and thus celebrated against Zvezda for the third time with Partizan.
As for the game itself, it was monotonous. Partizan was the one calling the shots throughout the entire game. Mind you, it should be said that Zvezda managed to annualize the large deficit, but only while there was energy in Jordan Nwora, who played alone against everyone. On the other hand, while Zvezda played a game “without head or tail” again, without an idea, Partizan played as a team and managed to register the first victory in this semifinal series.
'AJDEEEEE BRE!⚫️⚪️#KKPartizan #ABAliga pic.twitter.com/ns4tqBPl31
— KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) May 18, 2026
The most efficient for Partizan was Duane Washington with 23 points, Sterling Brown added 16, Carlik Jones 15, Tonye Jekiri 14, while Nick Calathes had one point and eight assists. For Zvezda, Jordan Nwora scored 31 points, Jared Butler recorded 18, and Ebuka Izundu 10.
In the first half, we saw a regularity, especially at the end of the first and the beginning of the second quarter, when the black-and-whites completely dominated in terms of the score. The match began with points from Sterling Brown, and the turnaround was brought by Tyson Carter and Jordan Nwora for the initial 2:5.
That regularity was maintained until the 12:9 lead for Partizan, who profited in this part of the game on the wings of Carlik Jones. Nwora also announced that he would be a very important cog for the guests in this part of the clash.
The red-and-whites’ winger already had nine points at the deficit of 17:16, and after a dunk by Isaac Bonga, the playful Duane Washington managed to reject the onslaught of the only cheerful basketball player in the ranks of the team from Mali Kalemegdan.
A very important role in this period of the match, as well as at the beginning of the second quarter, was played by Tonye Jekiri, who dominated the rebounds in front of a pale Zvezda, and also scored a large number of points from the free-throw line. After ten minutes it was 25:19.
The second quarter brought an extremely efficient performance by Washington, who increased the score to 35:26 after three minutes, and after a timeout by Obradović, Zvezda picked itself up to some extent…
Zvezda’s main problem was and remained a poor rebounding game in this part of the clash as well, but Nwora carried the team on his back alone, along with an occasional good move by Carter and other basketball players. However, that was not enough for a total turnaround, even though at one point it was 48:46.
.@dwizjr with the CLUTCH AND-1 and a memory for life for this young @PartizanBC fan. ⚫️⚪️#ABAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ne5BWGjplZ
— AdmiralBet ABA League (@ABA_League) May 18, 2026
The momentum dropped totally when Jared Butler failed to level the score, and in the final moments of the first half, Carlik and Fernando brought a two-possession difference to the Partizan team – 52:46.
When it comes to the third period, there Partizan managed to maintain the lead in the best possible way. Quite simply, they did not allow Zvezda to get closer than five points. Quite simply, Partizan played a great defense, and Zvezda had no ideas in offense.
All of that took its toll, as Nick Calathes was playful, finding players, and they took advantage.
The crucial turning point occurred in the last three minutes of this quarter. Jared Butler tied four poor offenses together, and Partizan punished that. In the last three minutes and 10 seconds, the black-and-whites made a 12:1 run, with which they went up to a huge 19 points.
It seemed that was the end of the game. During the last 10 minutes, Partizan even went to a 20-point lead, only for that to collapse in the last four minutes. Zvezda finally started playing defense, they started playing basketball, and that was after Ognjen Dobrić returned to the court.
In those moments, Zvezda managed to make an 18:7 run, with which they returned to the match and it came to 95:92. Butler then managed to break through and score, it came to 95:94, but then Partizan, through Carlik Jones and Duane Washington, made a 5:0 run with which this game was ended.
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Source: Telegraf, Photo: Printscreen X @PartizanBC