Croatian League Finals, Game 3: June 1, 2008
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Zadar got closer to clinch its second-ever Croatian League title by downing Split 100-80 in Game 3 of the best-of-five finals at home on Sunday night. Zadar has a 2-1 lead in the series and even when Split is in a do-or-die situation, it hosts decisive Game 4. Corey Brewer paced the winners with 25 points on 6-for-9 two-pointers, 7-for-8 free throws and 9 assists. Juby Johnson added 17 points, Andrej Stimac added 14 while Todor Gecevski barely missed a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Igor Sumic and Marlon Garnett led Split each with 15 points. Dejan Ivanov added 14 while Damjan Rudez and Hrvoje Peric had 13 apiece for the guests. Johnson shined in the first quarter for a 31-21 Zadar lead after 10 minutes. Zadar soon bosted its margin to 40-23 early in the second quarter and managed to control the game all the way until the final buzzer.
Three-pointers by Garnett and Ivanov allowed Split to take an early lead, 3-8. Brewer followed a three-point play with a layup and soon struck from downtown to give Zadar a 13-12 edge. Zadar found a new go-to guy in Johnson, who hit a three-pointer, and another, and yet another one in a 9-0 run and allowed the hosts to get a 31-21 margin after 10 minutes. Gecevski joined a three-point shootout while Pankracije Barac added consecutive layups to make it a 17-point game, 40-23, early in the second quarter. Sumic and Garnett tried to bring Split back in the game, while a layup by Ivanov cut the deficit into single digits, 56-47. Free throws by Brewer and a put-back layup by Jere Macura gave Zadar a 60-47 halftime edge. Zadar kept a double-digit lead all the way in the second half, while a layup-plus-foul by Brewer gave his team a 76-59. Split did not give up, but Zadar had sealed a key win long before the final buzzer.
| Finals Playoffs, best of 5 games |
| Record | Team | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | | 2 | Zadar (1) | 76 | 77 | 100 | June 4 | *- | | 1 | Split CO (2) | 52 | 81 | 80 | - | - |
| Finals games | | Game 1 | Zadar vs. Split CO | 76-52 | May 27 | | Game 2 | Split CO vs. Zadar | 81-77 | May 29 | | Game 3 | Zadar vs. Split CO | 100-80 | June 1 | | Game 4 | Split CO vs. Zadar | - | June 4 | | Game 5 | Zadar vs. Split CO | - | *- |
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