Partizan has its proverbial back to the wall as it hosts DKV Joventut on Thursday in a must-win Group E home game for the Serbian champs at Pionir Arena in Belgrade. After starting the Top 16 stage with a pair of losses, Partizan (0-2) must beat Joventut to retain a realistic chance of qualifying for the Quarterfinal Playoffs. On the other hand, Joventut (1-1), after edging Olympiacos in a low-scoring thriller last week in Spain, can move into second place - and potentially a tie for first depending upon other results - with a victory in Belgrade. These teams know each other rather well after squaring off twice in Group B of the regular season, with Joventut winning both games. Andy Betts scored a season-high 16 and helped on defense as Partizan struggled from outside (18.7% 3FG) and the line (55.5% FT) in an 82-51 blowout home win by Joventut in November. Rudy Fernandez drilled 5 three-pointers on his way to a season-high 26 points in January as Joventut won 74-83 in Belgrade. Vonteego Cummings was the lone bright spot for Partizan that night with 21 points, 4 assists and 6 steals. Cummings (13.3 ppg., 3.4 apg.) will need to play a major role in Partizan's attempts to overcome Joventut this time. The key to the Joventut's strategy is the point guard tandem of veteran Elmer Bennett (7.6 ppg., 3.1 apg.) and teenage ace Ricky Rubio (3.3 apg., 3.5 spg.), who more often than not wear down opposing playmakers. The ability of Cummings to get past Joventut's first line of defense is crucial because Partizan's weapons of choice are in the paint, where the trio of Predrag Drobnjak (16.6 ppg., 6.9 rpg.), Kosta Perovic (10.8 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 1.3 bpg.) and Nikola Pekovic are among the most intimidating frontlines in the league. However, with Betts back in action alongside Charles Gaines (9.7 ppg., 6.7 rpg.) and Robert Archibald (9.1 ppg.), the visitors are also pretty solid upfront. Fernandez (16.4 ppg.), Joventut's top scorer, matches up with Partizan veteran Dusan Kecman (6.6 ppg, 4 rpg.) and the dangerous, but inconsistent, Uros Tripkovic (8.8 ppg.), who is 1-for-11 from downtown in his last two games. Partizan has now lost three in a row for the second time this season. But the first time that happened, the team bounced back with its biggest win this year - a 46-point trouncing of Union Olimpija. There's no doubt that the team will come out hungry again as it aims to keep the Quarterfinal Playoffs as a target as long as possible. But even if the young players are at their best, Cummings and Drobnjak will need to lead the way against Rubio and Gaines in two of the more important matchups in this game.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Euroleague.net - Aca Ostojic, Belgrade