Croatian League Finals, Game 4: June 5, 2009 - CROATIA

May 26, 2012

Croatian League Finals, Game 4: June 5, 2009

Cibona champ Croatian League 2008-09 (photo cibona.com)

Cibona is once again the Croatian League champion! Cibona won its 15th Croatian League title since the competition was created in the 1991-92 season - every edition but 2003, 2005 and 2008 - by dethroning Zadar in the best-of-five title series. Cibona edged Zadar 69-71 on the road in Game 4 to win the series 3-1. Niksa Prkacin became the game hero with the game-winning layup at the buzzer. Alan Anderson led the winners with 27 points on 5-for-7 three-pointers. Davor Kus added 16 while Luksa Andric had 10 for Cibona. Todor Gecevski led Zadar with 13 points. Vladimer Boisa and Rok Stipcevic each added 11 while Hrvoje Peric had 10 for the hosts, that led 39-25 at halftime. Cibona recovered in the third quarter and got the lead, 67-69, on free throws by Anderson. Stipcevic tied the game with foul shots and it all came down to the game's final possession. Andric missed around the basket but Prkacin scored at the buzzer to win it for Cibona.

Nikola Prkacin - Cibona

Tomislav Ruzic shined in the early going, getting some help from Peric to make Zadar get a 10-6 lead. Gecevski, Stipcevic and Peris struck from downtown in a 9-0 run that gave Zadar a double-digit lead, 19-8, after 10 minutes. Gecevski kept pacing Zadar while a layup by Juby Johnson kept Zadar way ahead, 28-16. Three-pointers by Marko Car and Damir Rancic boosted the hosts' lead to 39-23 seconds before halftime. Cibona improved its defense after the break while a triple by Kus brought the guests within single digits, 45-36. An unstoppable Rozic and a free throw by Andric completed Cibona's comeback, 48-48. Boisa and Stipcevic allowed Zadar to regain the lead, 54-50, after 30 minutes. Anderson and Andric shined early in the fourth quarter while Kus nailed one from downtown got a 64-67 score with a minute to go. Stipcevic took over with a triple and then matched Anderson's free throws with more foul shots for a 69-69 score with seconds to go. Andric missed around the basket but Prkacin - who had scored just one point tonight - hit the game-winner at the buzzer.

Finals Playoffs, best of 5 games

Record	Team	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5
3	Cibona (1)	86	72	83	71	x
1	Zadar (2)	75	83	79	69	x
Croatian League Champion 2008-09: Cibona

Finals Playoffs round games
Game 1	Cibona vs. Zadar	86-75	May 26
Game 2	Zadar vs. Cibona	83-72	May 30
Game 3	Cibona vs. Zadar	83-79	June 2
Game 4	Zadar vs. Cibona	69-71	June 5