Partizan’s basketball team suffered a defeat in the 25th round of the EuroLeague on the road against Olimpia Milano, despite putting up a strong fight against the Italian side. Critical moments of lapsing concentration, particularly at the end of each quarter, ultimately handed the victory to the hosts, 85-79.
The first half was fairly balanced until the final two minutes. Partizan played consistently and actively on offense but struggled with rebounds, which the Italian team exploited to gain a lead. Overall, play under the basket proved problematic for the Belgrade side today.
The match featured many possessions, perhaps unexpected given that Olimpia typically prefers a slower pace. Tonight, however, that style favored the Italians. Yet, Partizan responded in the second half with much improved defense, keeping the game competitive until the final whistle.
Partizan remained almost completely level with the Italians throughout the first quarter. The hosts led mainly thanks to the hot hands of Zeke Ledej and later Armani Brooks, but the Black-and-Whites’ concentration slipped just before the first timeout. Armani went up by six, though only a single possession separated the teams at the end of the opening ten minutes – 25-22.
3/4 | EuroLeague round 25 | ⚫️⚪️@OlimpiaMI1936 69 – 57 #KKPartizan pic.twitter.com/0fihBxs1tR
— KK Partizan Mozzart Bet (@PartizanBC) January 29, 2026
The second quarter started poorly for Partizan, allowing Olimpia to extend the lead to eight points. A series of plays then brought Partizan back within one point. It seemed the Belgrade team might carry that momentum into halftime, but another dip in performance occurred, mirroring the first quarter. Olimpia Milano managed to pull ahead by nine points, giving them a more comfortable lead at the break – 52-43.
Partizan opened the second half nearly perfectly, with much better pick-and-roll defense, closing the gap to just three points. However, Olimpia dominated the end of the quarter. Quick three-pointers from Kevin Ellis and then Marko Gudurić allowed Olimpia to pull ahead by 12 points going into the final quarter.
Still, Partizan refused to give up. Arijan Lakić brought incredible energy to the team with strong defense, and Partizan’s shots began to fall. With just six minutes remaining, the gap narrowed to three points.
In the end, Partizan lacked the strength to deliver the final blow. The Italians consistently found ways out of tight situations, with Zeke Ledej scoring key points to extend Armani’s lead with two minutes remaining. The Italians held on to the victory without major difficulty.
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Source: Telegraf, Foto: Printscreen X