BC Slovan Bratislava secured an 82–90 victory against KK Cibona Zagreb at Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall, notching their first win of the regional competition in front of 500 spectators, Pravda reported. The win splits the Slovak club’s record at one victory and one defeat after two matches.
First-half shifts in Zagreb
The match opened with KK Cibona establishing an early advantage, capitalizing on Slovan’s slow start on the road. The visiting Bratislavčania responded as Buchanan found his shooting rhythm from beyond the arc, briefly pushing the visitors ahead 13–14 and 15–16. However, the hosts closed the opening quarter strongly to claim a 23–18 lead.
Zagreb extended that margin to 10 points in the second period, prompting Slovan head coach Dejan Jakara to call a timeout. The stoppage sparked an 11–0 run for the visitors, fueled by perimeter scoring from Bačvič and Bluiett. Cibona reclaimed the momentum before the halftime buzzer, heading into the locker room ahead 47–40.
Second-half momentum and the decisive third quarter
Slovan reversed the deficit after the break through disciplined execution and perimeter shooting. Ford hit a three-pointer to narrow the gap to three points before sinking another attempt to put the Slovak side ahead 54–57. The visitors seized control of the pace, outscoring their opponents 17–28 in the third frame to build a 64–68 edge heading into the final ten minutes.
Skeens padded the margin from the free-throw line, stretching Slovan’s lead to 76–67. Cibona failed to pull closer than four points down the stretch as the visitors managed the clock and secured the final score at 82–90.
Match Statistics and Next Fixture in Podgorica
Ford led Slovan with 18 points, followed by Buchanan with 15 and Bluiett with 14. Buie added 10 points, Nikolič scored 6, Abrhám chipped in 4, and Skeens contributed 7, while Pavelka and Szabó remained scoreless. For Cibona, Mazalin paced all scorers with 21 points, McGill added 18, and Battle finished with 10.
Slovan shot 12-of-15 from the free-throw line compared to Cibona’s 17-of-25. The visitors sank 16 three-pointers to the hosts’ 5, while personal fouls totaled 21 against Slovan’s 19. Referee duties were managed by Urrego, Domazet, and Calabrese.
The road trip continues for Jakara’s squad on Sunday, October 18, at 4:00 p.m. local time, when they face Budućnost Voli Podgorica in Montenegro.
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