Partizan basketball players are playing a match against Asvel in the Belgrade Arena in the 16th round of the EuroLeague this Tuesday.
The black and white team has the opportunity to extend their winning streak in the elite league to six and reach a 50% success rate as they currently have a record of 7-8. Željko Obradović’s team almost has no room for error, as they have already suffered four losses this season in the Arena, so they „must“ defend their home court despite major lineup issues. During Partizan’s training session before the match against Asvel in the EuroLeague, Vanja Marinković, Ife Lundberg, Frank Ntilikina, Brendon Davis, and Mario Nakić were absent, leaving Željko Obradović with only ten players available.
„We could talk quite a bit about Asvel, about how much they have changed their style of play compared to last year with the new coach. Even some players who were there last year play completely differently. They are a very well-coordinated team and, above all, have a leader in Maledon. Joffrey Lauvergne, in the low post, Nando De Colo does what he has been doing his whole life. When it’s crunch time, the ball goes to him. Along with the other players, they are a team that rebounds well. They shoot a lot of three-pointers and all of that is already known. Perhaps it is more important to talk about us. We have a big problem. We had 10 players in training. We are missing Vanja, Brendon, Ife, little Mario, and Frenk. We tried to react in that way with 10 players, how that will look I have no idea. I think it will be difficult for any of them to play,“ emphasized coach Željko Obradović.
Partizan basketball player, Tajrik Jones, once again reflected on the match between Alba and Partizan, which the black and white team won in the final moments.
„I think that was our first away win. It was good. As I said before, there are no easy games in the EuroLeague. We saw that. Alba will fight no matter what the result is and will always fight. We pulled out that game and that helps us to move on and learn how to win away. I think if we improve that aspect, we can be in a good position. As for me, I got five fouls… a tough match but we won. That’s the most important thing.“
Tajrik is partly right when he says that „he thinks this is the first away win,“ probably referring to outside of Belgrade, as the black and white team defeated Red Star in the Arena and Maccabi in Pionir as guests.
In conclusion, Partizan faces a tough challenge against Asvel in the EuroLeague, needing to defend their home court and extend their winning streak. Despite the lineup issues, coach Željko Obradović remains focused on the team’s performance and the strengths of their opponents. Tajrik Jones highlights the importance of learning how to win away games in the EuroLeague, emphasizing the competitiveness of every match in the elite league. With a strong team effort and determination, Partizan aims to secure a victory against Asvel and continue their journey in the EuroLeague.
