NLB Adriatic League 28/02/2009

[Milos NS]

Vojvodina - Partizan First standings: 1. KK Partizan W20/L2 (secured Final 4 from 1st place) 14. Vovjodina W4/L18 (still fighting to avoid relegation) This is pick I like from many angles and I will try to explain best way I can. First thing first. If Vojvodina be last (14th) in Adriatic league, Serbia will lose one of 5 places in Adriatic league for next season. So far there are 5 teams from Serbia, 4 from Croatia, 3 from Slovenia, and one from Bosnia and Montenegro. KK Vojvodina is trying to avoid that last place and they are extremly motivated to do so. Few weeks back they hired their 3rd coach in this season, Vlado Djurovic.Djurovic is known as miracle worker, he is experienced, well respected, and maybe he is one of top 5 coaches curently working in Serbia (don't forget that in Serbia presently work Svetislav "Kari" Pesic, and Dusko Vujosevic). Djurovic made some improvements but resoults are still pretty bad. They bought a week ago 3rd American player, Hassan Adams (193, 25) (was playing for the university Arizona since 2002 to 2006 and was later drafted in the second round, 54th overall, by the New Jersey Nets in the 2006 draft). Last edition in squad came few days ago, experienced center, ex A selection player Jovo Stanojevic came to Vojvodina. This shows determination of board and coach to fight for cause. Now little about KK Partizan. They played 4 games in last 8 days: they defeted KK Vojvodina 87-59 (19/02), Hemofarm 83-67 (20/02), Red Star again with duble diggits (21/02), and then left to Malaga and played on wednesday against Unicaja (won after one over time, and qualified for Final 8 of Euro league). Coach Dusko Vujosevic said that his players are tired, and that he will change intensity of pratices, because he wants his players to be in best form for 1/4 finals of Euroleague. So we have motivation of home side + new quality players on home side + tired and emotionaly worn away side... Want more? I'll give it to you... No doubt in my mind KK Partizan is far the best basketball team in Balkan right now. They have the best coach, roster of 14 well picked players, coach Vujosevic works there for years now and picks players by own, they play together for long time, every year they sell 1 or 2 best players but replacements are allways good etc. (Last year they sold Pekovic and Kecman to Panatenaikos, but they bought Raicevic, Lasme, Rasic and Aleksic). Now to the last point of my dissertation. Few months ago, KK Partizan had some kind of financial troubles, their account was blocked, just before game against Panionios in Greece I think (maybe it was before Efes Pilsen game, but that is not the point, the point is financial crysis). They didn't have enough money to travel to Greece, and it was big problem, all over the news etc. At the end the flight was payed by firm called NIS Srbija GAS (government oil firm). Not to strange u will say, but do u know what is full name of the home team today? KK VOJVODINA SRBIJA GAS... Pick: Vojvodina ML @3.25 Bet365 6/10 :spank