Adriatic League, Quarterfinal Playoffs, Game 3: March 29-31, 2008
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Zadar and Hemofarm joined already qualified Partizan Igokea in the Adriatic League Final Four, as both teams survived their respective playoff series against FMP and Buducnost. As such, Partizan will take Hemofarm in the first semifinal on April 25 while Zadar is set to face Union Olimpija or Red Star, that go against each other for the fourth semifinal spot tomorrow. Zadar advanced to the Adriatic League Final Four by edging FMP 74-73 in do-or-die Game 3 at home on Saturday. It was one of the most balanced playoffs series ever seen in European basketball, as the opening 2 games went to overtime and Game 3 went down to the wire. Corey Brewer became the game hero by hitting the game-winning free throws with 10 seconds to go. He also led the winners with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Todor Gecevski added 17 points while Zoran Erceg led FMP with 21 points. In Vrsac and just as it happened in the ULEB Cup Last 32 round earlier this season, Hemofarm eliminated Buducnost with a 75-69 home win in Game 3. Vladan Vukosavljevic paced the winners with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Rawle Marshall added 14 points while Nemanja Gordic led Buducnost with 20 points.
Zadar made it to the Final Four by edging FMP 74-73 in do-or-die Game 3 at home on Saturday. Brewer became the game hero by hitting the game-winning free throws with 10 seconds to go and then collected a steal that sealed the win down the stretch. He also led the winners with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Gecevski added 17 points while Juby Johnson added 1 for Zadar, that outrebounded its opponents by 29-21. Erceg had 21 points for FMP while Nemanja Protic added 20 and 8 assists for the guests. Gecevski shined early while Pankracije Barac followed a triple with a layup for a 22-15 Zadar lead after 10 minutes. A triple by Andrej Stimac and a free throw by Barac gave the hosts their first double-digit margin, 34-24, but FMP got within 39-32 at halftime while three-pointers by Erceg and Bojan Krstovic completed the guests' comeback, 42-44. Another triple by Protic gave FMP its biggest lead, 56-64, with 7 minutes to go. Brewer and Gecevski rescued Zadar and gave the hosts a 72-69 edge with a minute to go. Protic made free throws and fed Dragan Labovic for an easy layup for a 72-73 FMP edge. Brewer drew a foul and calmly made free throws while Protic committed a turnover in the final seconds.
Hemofarm Stada advanced to the Adriatic League Final Four by edging Buducnost 75-69 in Vrsac on Saturday. Vukosavljevic paced the winners with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Marshall added 14 points while Miljan Pavkovic had 11 and 6 assists for Hemofarm. Gordic had 20 points for Hemofarm, Nikola Otasevic added 11 while Ivan Maras got 10 for the guests. Stefan Markovic and Milivoje Bozovic shined in the early going, but a three-pointer by Otasevic brought Buducnost within 13-9 after 10 minutes. Hemofarm did not panic, however, as three-pointers by Petar Despotovic and Pavkovic gave the hosts a 23-15 edge. Free throws by Marshall and Markovic, as well as a layup by Boris Savovic helped the hosts to stay ahead, 34-27, at halftime. Hemofarm kept its momentum going after the break, as back-to-back layups by Vukosavljevic gave his team a 45-31 margin. Vukosavljevic kept pacing Heamofarm to keep the hosts way ahead, 54-43, after 30 minutes. It was do-or-die time for Buducnost and Gordic got the guests within 67-63. Free throws by Nebojsa Joksimovic, Pavkovic and Marshall allowed Hemofarm to reach the Final Four.
| Quarterfinal Playoffs, best of 3 games |
| Record | Team | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | | 2 | Partizan Igokea (1) | 90 | 100 | x | | 0 | Cibona (8) | 80 | 93 | x | | 1 | Crvena Zvezda (4) | 93 | 60 | 74 | | 2 | Union Olimpija (5) | 87 | 88 | 97 | | 2 | Zadar (2) | 95 | 94 | 74 | | 1 | FMP (7) | 91 | 99 | 73 | | 2 | Hemofarm Stada (3) | 87 | 55 | 75 | | 1 | Buducnost (6) | 71 | 64 | 69 |
| Quarterfinal games | | Game 1 | Partizan Igokea vs. Cibona | 90-80 | March 25 | | Game 1 | Zadar vs. FMP | 95-91 OT | March 25 | | Game 1 | Hemofarm Stada vs. Buducnost | 87-71 | March 25 | | Game 1 | Crvena Zvezda vs. Union OLimpija | 93-87 | March 26 | | Game 2 | Cibona vs. Partizan Igokea | 93-100 | March 27 | | Game 2 | FMP vs. Zadar | 99-94 OT | March 27 | | Game 2 | Buducnost vs. Hemofarm Stada | 64-55 | March 27 | | Game 2 | Union Olimpija vs. Crvena Zvezda | 88-60 | March 29 | | Game 3 | Zadar vs. FMP | 74-73 | March 29 | | Game 3 | Hemofarm Stada vs. Buducnost | 75-69 | March 29 | | Game 3 | Crvena Zvezda vs. Union OLimpija | 74-97 | March 31 |
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