FMP climbed to the title game of the NIJT Belgrade after edging INSEP 87-85 in the semifinals of the tournament on Saturday night. The two teams have met the previous year in the final of the NIJT tournament during the Euroleague Final Four weekened and INSEP shocked FMP to win the title. Tonight FMP used the support of its fans and a big performance by two of its best prospects - Nenad Miljenovic and Nemanja Bezbradica - to complete its revenge. Tomorrow FMP will take on Crvena Zvezda for the gold medal, while INSEP will try to grab the bronze in a game against Partizan Belgrade. Bezbradica hit 27 points for FMP while Miljenovic added 23 points with 6 assists. Nikola Pavlovic left 18 points on the floor. INSEP saw Livio Jean-Charles make 23 points and 8 rebounds, Hugo Invernizzi added 20 with 4 three pointers and 9 assists while Ulysse Adjagba and Atnhony Racine had 10 each. Jean-Charles on one end and Miljenovic on the other shinned in the first quarter when FMP took a 20-17 lead. Adjagba found his space to collect points and put INSEP on top, and with Jean-Charles added a lay-up INSEP held a 34-39 gap in the 18th minute. Bezbradica scored around the rim and collected 15 points by the break and FMP was behind by just two points, 40-42 after 20 minutes. Jean-Charles continued to dominate and the gap increased already to 15, 51-66 after 6 minutes in the 3rd quarter, and when the time showed just 11 minutes for the final buzzer it was still a 15 point game, yet before things slip out of its hands FMP started its come back led by Bezbradica and Miljenovic. The later dished a big assist to a three pointer by Stefan Popovski-Turanjanin who tied the score at 77-77 with 5 minutes to play and the teams entered a thriller in the closing minutes. Missed shots by INSEP next to accurate attempts by Miljenovic from the foul line decided the battle in favor of the hosting side that will get a chance to win the title tomorrow.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Yarone Arbel, Euroleague.net
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