The Serbian has the winning shot in his hands at the end, but it falls just short: Partizan wins 80-78. Shields scores 21 points

It was the fourth game in six days, the second in a row in Belgrade: Milan failed to repeat its victory over Red Star and was defeated by Partizan 80-78. It was a defeat that brought with it many regrets, because Olimpia had recovered from a deficit that had reached 20 points in the third quarter. Guduric had the chance to win the game with a three-pointer, but he didn’t even hit the rim. For EA7, still without Brown, the 16 turnovers and wasted opportunities in the final minutes, when even Partizan had run out of steam, weighed heavily. An excellent 21 points from Shields was not enough to counter the Brown-Jones duo.

The first half of the game—  On their first possession, Milan immediately realized what kind of night was in store for them: suffocating defense from Partizan’s perimeter players, who forced a turnover. This would be the main reason for the Serbian team’s success. Brown and Carlik Jones got off to a strong start, while Olimpia responded with LeDay and Shields. The Serbs pull ahead, but Messina’s team stays in the game thanks to excellent 3-point percentages (5/8 in the first quarter), with open shots thanks to Shields and Brooks. However, the balance is broken a few minutes before halftime: the home team’s pressure increases, and Milan loses 11 balls, while Mannion, Ellis, and Guduric suffer from the opponents’ penetrations: with a 12-2 run, Partizan returns to the locker room at 45-33.

The final—  The third quarter is full of twists and turns: Partizan starts with a couple of knockout blows from Brown and Jones, as always: the Serbs reach +20, but Shields responds with a couple of three-pointers. Obradovic’s team lowers the intensity and Olimpia reopens the game with two feats by Brooks, who brings his team to -7. The game remains balanced, Nebo raises the wall, but fatigue grows and Shields suffers an injury that forces him to leave the game. Yet, with Partizan on the ropes, the feat is almost achieved. First Nebo, then Guduric and a free throw by Bolmaro bring the score to -2, and excellent defense on Jones gives Guduric the shot to win the game: his stepback, however, falls just short, causing the Belgrade Arena to explode.
Partizan: Brown 20, C. Jones 15, Bonga 10

Milan: Shields 21, Brooks 12, Guduric 12