Photo: EuroLeague

Pero Antic hit the dagger three-pointer that handed Crvena Zvezda a famous win on the road to Real Madrid but even though he broke Madrid’s hearts, he earned the respect of teen sensation Luka Doncic.

Antic, a former EuroLeague champion with Olympiacos in 2013 and Atlanta Hawks forward drilled the triple with 7.7 seconds left to seal an 87-83 win for Crvena Zvezda.

Antic ended with 11 points with all his field goals from three-point territory. “I have practised this shot many times,” he said to Eurohoops. “Everybody now says ‘hero’ but if you miss, you are the tragic guy.”

But it was the defensive stops that Antic instigated that also guided Red Star to victory, as well as the clutch triple.

Post-game Doncic went to the Crvena Zvezda locker room to congratulate Antic and as a token of goodwill, he gave Antic a signed jersey for his son who is also named Luka, whose favourite player is reportedly the Slovenian.

A nice gesture, especially as we are leading up to Christmas.