Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ended its EuroLeague season on a positive note Thursday night, beating Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz 91-79 at Belgrade Arena. The result lifted Partizan to 16-22 and snapped Baskonia’s four-game winning streak in the competition.
For a team that had already missed the postseason, the performance still carried weight. Partizan came in after two straight losses, but it responded with a wire-to-wire win in front of a loud home crowd that is already looking ahead to Sunday’s ABA League derby against Crvena Zvezda Mozzart Bet Belgrade.
Tonye Jekiri led the way with 16 points and five rebounds, while Sterling Brown and Carlik Jones added 13 points apiece. Jones also filled the box score with seven rebounds and six assists, giving Partizan a steady presence on both ends.
The home team controlled the game by doing the basic things well. Partizan won the rebounding battle 42-33, forced Baskonia into 11 turnovers, and limited the visitors to 8-of-31 shooting from three-point range.
Baskonia did not go quietly, though, and kept the margin manageable for most of the night. Mamadi Diakite paced the visitors with 20 points, Trent Forrest added 9 points and 4 assists, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot finished with 13 points, but the Spanish club could not match Partizan’s physicality late.
The hosts also got useful production from their supporting cast, with Balsa Koprivica and Isaac Bonga giving them extra energy around the rim and on the glass. Partizan’s early control helped it lead 51-39 before the game settled into a more competitive second half.
