Regular Season Game 9 - January 08, 2009 CET: 18:30 Local time: 18:30 - BASKETBALL CENTER DRAZEN PETROVIC
Cibona 76 - 77 Unicaja

Records

Ave.   Ave.
0-0 Final Four 0-0
0-0 Playoffs 0-0
0-0 Top 16 0-0
5-3 Regular Season 6-2
5-3 Overall 6-2

Referees

Crew Chief
JUNGEBRAND, CARL, Finland
Referee
ZIEMBLICKI, GRZEGORZ, Poland
Umpire
VIATOR, EDDIE, France

Team Stats

Ave.   Ave.
76.1 Points 75.3
28.4 Rebounds 32.9
8.4 O. Rebounds 10.0
20.0 D. Rebounds 22.9
9.5 Assists 15.4
8.8 Steals 8.1
2.4 Blocks 3.9
15.0 Turnovers 12.9
54.2 % 2PT 53.5 %
35.6 % 3PT 33.3 %
78.3 % FT 74.0 %
76.0 Index 89.6

Player Stats

Ave.   Ave.
14.0 / Calloway Points 13.4 / Kelati
4.5 / VUKUSIC, VEDRAN Rebounds 5.8 / Ndong
1.4 / HOMAN, JARED OR 2.0 / Ndong
3.1 / MARSHALL, RAWLE DR 3.8 / Ndong
2.5 / Calloway Assists 5.4 / Cook
1.9 / Calloway Steals 1.5 / Kelati
1.0 / HOMAN, JARED Blocks 1.4 / ARCHIBALD, ROBERT
2.8 / Calloway Turnovers 2.1 / Cook
88.9 % / TROHA, ROBERT 2PT 65.9 % / ARCHIBALD, ROBERT
50.0 % / PRINC, VEDRAN 3PT 100.0 % / Ndong
92.9 % / Rozic FT 92.3 % / HAISLIP, MARCUS
15.1 / Calloway Index 14.8 / ARCHIBALD, ROBERT

THE TAKE

Cibona hosts Unicaja in Zagreb, Croatia, on Thursday in a matchup of two teams jockeying for position in Group A. The two teams have already clinched Top 16 berths and now want to finish as high as possible in the group. Unicaja enters the game tied with Olympiacos for first place at 6-2, while Cibona and Maccabi Electra are right behind at 5-3. It will be a special game for Cibona combo guard Davor Kus, who played for Unicaja last season. Kus leads a solid Cibona backcourt that also offers point guard Earl Calloway, backup playmaker Vedran Princ and swingman Rawle Marshall. The addition of Alan Anderson at small forward only makes Cibona stronger, as he can offers his scoring skills. Anderson and Marshall are ready to face Jiri Welsch and Thomas Kelati, who has been in great shape recently. Calloway has a key matchup against assists leader Omar Cook, even though Carlos Cabezas is set to see extended playing time now that his injuries are a thing of the past. Meanwhile, Kus is ready for a big matchup against a player he knows well, Berni Rodriguez. Joseph Gomis could play a key role for Unicaja, as he is a dangerous scorer coming off the bench. The battle in the paint will be equally interesting, as Cibona relies on a pure post player in Niksa Prkacin to go against Robert Archibald. Cibona's main concern, however, will be stopping Marcus Haislip, a natural-born mismatch because of his versatility, shooting range and incredible athleticism. Luksa Andric and Vedran Vukusic are ready to battle against him and Boni Ndong. At small forward, Carlos Jimenez offers experience and shooting range, but he faces a similar player in Marin Rozic. Unicaja must play up-tempo and try to get Ndong and Haislip involved around the baskets. If its defense is at the same level as it was against Maccabi in Tel Aviv, Unicaja is the favorite in this game. Meanwhile, Cibona must try to run the break with Calloway and Marshall, so sealing the defensive rebounds will be a big key for the hosts. Cibona has already beaten Olympiacos and Maccabi in Zagreb, so head coach Velimir Perasvoic’s men will be confident and ready for an intense Euroleague game.

GAME NOTES

Cibona
  • Guard Davor Kus will face the club he played for last season. Kus spent the 2007-08 campaign in Spain with Unicaja. Seven players on Unicaja’s current roster are former teammates of his.
  • Rawle Marshall scored a season-high 25 points and drilled 7 three-pointers in the last game against Unicaja back in November.
  • Guard Earl Calloway has scored in double figures in seven straight games, averaging 15.6 points per game over that span.
  • Big man Jared Homan blocked a total of 8 shots in the first three games of the season, but has not blocked any in the past five games.
  • Newcomer Alan Anderson could make his first Euroleague appearance for Cibona this week. He stepped right in with 18 points and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes in his debut with the club in the Adriatic League over the weekend.
Unicaja
  • Guard Omar Cook has dished at least 5 assists in each of his last five games and leads the Euroleague with 5.4 assists per game this season.
  • Center Boniface NDong has averaged just 4 points per game in his last two appearances. NDong scored in double figures in the first six games of the season, averaging 14.3 points per game in that stretch.
  • Guard Thomas Kelati has made at least 1 three-pointer in every game this season and leads the Euroleague with 23 three-pointers made.
  • Forward Marcus Haislip scored a season-high 17 points in his last Euroleague outing before the winter break against Avellino.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

PERASOVIC, VELIMIR
Cibona
"I think Unicaja is on of the Dark horses of the Euroleague. After period in which they had problems with injuries, now they are healthy and complete and extremely dangerous. Coach Aito uses ten players in his rotation, their pace is really high and if you fall into their rhythm you can't get out. We have two new players, Anderson and Sundov and they will be in the team for the game, I will just have to see how they can participate at the moment."
GARCIA RENESES, AITO
Unicaja
"We follow our way in the Euroleague after two weeks of break in the competition and we'll see what are the sensations of playing on the road again in this competition. Cibona is a complete team which we managed to stop tactically here in Malaga, so now we'll see what we can do in Zagreb. I am not so convinced that finishing the group in one place or another is that decisive, because it will depend on the draw. In theory you can get a phenomenal place and then have harder rivals, so what we have to focus on is to grow as a team to be better in the Top 16."

Players

KUS, DAVOR
Cibona
"Unicaja in Zagreb is a special motivation for each and every Cibona player, because we have an opportunity to play against one of the strongest teams in the league. We are already in the Top 16 but that does not mean we won't give everything we have in this game. I hope, with a strong help of our fans, we will be able to win."
GABRIEL, GERMAN
Unicaja
"I am back to such an important competition as the Euroleague after my injury, and I am hungry to keep on adding wins. Cibona has become a strong team, especially at home, and I think it will be a complicated game but we have to go for the win, which is what matters. In the Malaga game there was already a bit of controversy, and I think in Zagreb, where they are stronger and are in the top spots of the league, they will do everything to win."
Marcus Haislip - UnicajaUnicaja keeps fighting to win Group A by edging Cibona 76-77 in Zagreb, Croatia on Thursday night. Unicaja improved to 7-2 and keeps its chances to become a top-seeded team in the Top 16 Draw. Meanwhile, Cibona dropped to 5-4 but is already qualified to the Top 16. Marcus Haislip led the winners with 14 points. Boniface Ndong posted a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds while Jiri Welsch and Omar Cook each had 10 points for Unicaja. Alan Anderson had 19 points in his first Euroleague game with Cibona. Davor Kus added 13 while Earl Calloway got 11 for the hosts. A three-pointer by Vedran Vukusic gave Cibona a 21-18 edge after 10 minutes. An outstanding Anderson allowed Cibona to boost its margin to double-digits, 44-34, right before halftime. Unicaja improved its defense in the fourth quarter while German Gabriel and Cook struck from downtown in a 0-14 run that put the guests ahead for good, 62-69. Anderson and Kus brought Cibona with 76-77 and the hosts had a last chance, but Niksa Prkacin missed a layup seconds before the final buzzer.

Anderson needed 45 seconds to get Cibona going with a three-pointer in his first Euroleague shot this season. Carlos Jimenez answered from downtown for a 3-3 tie. Unicaja tried to power the offensive board with Haislip, Jimenez and Robert Archibald together on court. Luksa Andric, however, stepped up with a layup-plus-foul while Anderson scored oof a steal for a 8-3 Cibona lead. Archibald made free throws that Andric erased with a power layup. Haislip took over with a three-pointer to get Unicaja within 10-8. Kus shined with a driving layup that Haislip improved with an outstanding dunk-and-foul. Kus insisted with a stop-and-pop jumper but a red hot Haislip struck again from downtown to tie it at 14-14. Calloway nailed a six-meter jumper while Anderson added a driving layup for a 18-15 Cibona edge. Jiri Welsch and Vukusic traded triples to fix the score at 21-18 at the end of the first quarter.

Alan Anderson - CibonaMarin Rozic fired in a seven-meter bomb to boost the hosts' lead to 24-18 early in the second quarter. Ndong made free throws that Carlos Cabezas followed with a three-point play in a 0-7 run that Berni Rodriguez capped with a layup to give Unicaja its first lead, 24-25. Ndong had a huge block on Rozic but Vukusic stepped up for Cibona with free throws. Jimenez and Prkacin traded three-pointers while back-to-back fast break baskets by Calloway gave Cibona a 33-28 edge. Calloway took over with a wild three-point play but Haislip scored in penetration to get Unicaja back on track. Rozic sank free throws that Haislip erased with a power layup. Cibona kept dominating the defensive board with Homan and Bruno Sundov on court now. Jared Homan made foul shots that Cook matched with a driving layup. Anderson followed a put-back basket with free throws to give Cibona its first double-digit lead, 44-34. Free throws by Thomas Kelati - his first points - got Unicaja within 44-36 at halftime.

Both teams traded missed shots after the break until Ndong stepped up with a free throw. Kus shined with a reverse layup that Ndong erased in the other end. Cibona kept dominating the boards but Unicaja was a different team in defense now, diving for loose balls and much more intense. Cibona had entered the foul bonus so Unicaja opted to attack the basket. Cabezas sank free throws but Andric erased it with a jump hook and soon gave Cibona a 49-42 margin. Rodriguez fed Ndong for an alleyoop dunk but Anderson answered with foul shots and Kus added a floating layup. Cabezas and Archibald kept pacing Unicaja with more foul shots but Cibona stayed focused, as Rozic finished a second-chance offense with a corner triple. Rodriguez and Sundov traded free throws but Unicaja kept struggling to find open shots. Sundov kept pacing Cibona with a second-chance layup but a big triple by Cook made it a six-point game, 59-53, after three quarters.

Boniface NDong - UnicajaWelsch sank a long two-pointer early in the fourth period but Sundov immediately answered from downtown to keep Cibona out of trouble, 62-55. Unicaja tried to open the court with Gabriel on the floor. Meanwhile, Kelati made free throws while Welsch added a put-back basket for a 62-59 deficit. Ndong followed a jumper with a huge alleyoop dunk to put Unicaja back ahead, 62-63. Cibona kept struggling to score while Gabriel and Cook capped a 0-14 run with back-to-back three-pointers for a 62-69 Unicaja margin with over 4 minutes to go. Anderson answered from downtown while Ndong and Homan traded free throws for a 66-70 score. Archibald took over with a reverse layup and soon added a free throw for a 66-73 Unicaja lead with 2 minutes remaining. Calloway rescued Cibona with a fast break layup but a three-pointer by Kelati seemed to seal the outcome, 68-75. Anderson, however, answered from downtown while a jump ball situation gave Cibona an extra possession. Kus buried a triple for a 74-75 Cibona deficit with 17.5 seconds to go. Cook sank free throws that Kus erased with a layup. Unicaja committed a turnover, giving Cibona the last possession with 7.2 seconds remaining. Prkacin missed around the basket while Cabezas grabbed the rebound and raced downcourt until the final buzzer, allowing Unicaja to get a crucial road win.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Euroleague.net
Referees: JUNGEBRAND, CARL (FIN), ZIEMBLICKI, GRZEGORZ (POL), VIATOR, EDDIE (FRA)
Attendance: 5200
By Quarter1234
Cibona21231517
Unicaja18181724
End of Quarter1234
Cibona21445976
Unicaja18365377
Head coach: PERASOVIC, VELIMIR
Cibona
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
4 HOMAN, JARED 17:47 3 0/2   3/4 2 1 3 1   2     3 2 1
5 KUS, DAVOR 24:12 13 5/8 1/3         2 2 2     4   6
8 PRKACIN, NIKOLA 22:51 3 0/3 1/1   4 5 9 2 4 2     4   9
9 TROHA, ROBERT 9:00     0/1     1 1                
11 VUKUSIC, VEDRAN 9:39 5 0/1 1/1 2/2 3   3 1 1 1     4 1 5
12 ANDRIC, LUKSA 15:07 8 3/4   2/3 2 1 3 1   1 2 1 3 3 10
13 CALLOWAY, EARL 26:25 11 5/8 0/3 1/1 1 3 4 3 2 3     3 2 10
14 SUNDOV, BRUNO 14:36 7 1/6 1/2 2/2 4   4     2     1 2 4
15 ZUBCIC, TOMISLAV DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
19 PRINC, VEDRAN 3:00     0/1                   1   -2
20 ROZIC, MARIN 24:34 7 1/4 1/5 2/2   7 7     1   1 1 2 6
32 ANDERSON, ALAN 32:49 19 3/11 3/7 4/4 1 3 4 1 3 2     3 4 14
Team                                
Totals 200:00 76 18/47 8/24 16/18 17 21 38 11 12 16 2 2 27 16 63
38.3% 33.3% 88.9%
Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating
Head coach: GARCIA RENESES, AITO
Unicaja
# Player Min Pts 2FG
M-A
3FG
M-A
FT
M-A
Rebounds As St To Bl Fouls PIR
O D T Fv Ag Cm Rv
00 COOK, OMAR 24:19 10 1/3 2/3 2/3       3 1 4     1 3 8
4 GOMIS, JOSEPH DNP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5 RODRIGUEZ, BERNI 12:44 2 1/2 0/1         2 1 2       1 2
9 WELSCH, JIRI 15:42 10 2/2 1/1 3/4 1   1 1 1 1     2 2 11
10 CABEZAS, CARLOS 16:05 6 1/1   4/5   1 1             5 11
12 NDONG, BONIFACE 25:46 13 4/11   5/8 1 9 10     5 1 1 2 5 11
13 GABRIEL, GERMAN 10:27 3 0/1 1/3     1 1   1       2 1 1
20 JIMENEZ, CARLOS 22:56 6   2/2   1 8 9   1 2     2 2 14
21 ARCHIBALD, ROBERT 15:40 7 1/3   5/6 4 1 5 1   2     5 3 6
23 KELATI, THOMAS 28:02 6 1/4 0/3 4/4 2 3 5 1 1 3     1 2 5
24 HAISLIP, MARCUS 28:19 14 3/6 2/6 2/5 2 2 4   2 1 1 1 1 3 11
Team                                
Totals 200:00 77 14/33 8/19 25/35 11 25 36 8 8 20 2 2 16 27 80
42.4% 42.1% 71.4%
This game is not yet played

Head Coaches

PERASOVIC, VELIMIR
Cibona
“We started well and motivated, we dominated the first two quarters. They hit a three-pointer at the end of the third to cut our lead to six points, and in the fourth quarter, we lacked concentration. We did not lack strength, because in the last minute we managed to come back, but it was as if they were playing in a higher gear than we were. Unicaja is the team that grinds you little by little and uses the crises you have during the game against you. That is what happened to us. In the last seven seconds, we executed as we wanted, we got the ball to Prkacin but the ball did not want to go in.”
GARCIA RENESES, AITO
Unicaja
“Cibona played first half with much more aggressiveness and intensity than us. They outrebounded us and had more steals, so I was surprised that at the half they were up by only eight points. However, in the second half little by little we were getting closer. At the end, we were lucky, because we had two turnovers and when game finishes this way it is possible to lose or to win. We were lucky to come out with a victory.”

Players

CALLOWAY, EARL
Cibona
“We came back, had the opportunity to win. I thought the ball was going in on the last play. It is our first home loss in the Euroleague this season, but this is a positive and good season. We have to build on it and keep getting better. We have two new players and need to get adjusted to them too.”
KUS, DAVOR
Cibona
"We tried to keep up our rhythm with Unicaja the whole game but unfortunately, they made a big difference at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Unicaja is a very strong and very aggressive team, they play at the high rhythm the entire game, and we did not manage to control that. However, at the end, we still had a shot for the win and that is all we could ask for. We missed it, but that is sport. I made big shots near the end of the game but that is what we practice. This year we have some good players on Cibona, we don't depend on one player and we proved that throughout the Euroleague competition. There are no easy groups in Top 16, and I hope we are going to stay strong on our home court, which is very tough. I think we can play against anybody and win every game."
NDONG, BONIFACE
Unicaja
"It was a crazy game. Cibona played very hard, they play well on their home court and we were kind of sloppy in the first half, but responded in the second. We had some mistakes at the end, like the one I made, but luckily, we won the game. It does not matter if we are first or second. You can be first and still end up in a harder group. It is much more important to be first in your group in the Top 16."
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