The second day of the Neom Masters 2024 tournament under FIBA 3×3 has concluded in Neom. Two Serbian teams, Ub Huishan and Partizan Meta Force, secured quarterfinal spots after defeating both opponents in their groups. Amsterdam and Miami also advanced after winning two games each. Lithuania’s Raudondvaris Hoptrans, Serbia’s Liman, Vienna, and Paris moved to the quarterfinals based on points, each winning one match.
Tomorrow, Ub Huishan will face Vienna, Miami will meet Paris, Partizan Meta Force will go up against Raudondvaris Hoptrans, and Amsterdam will take on Liman on the court.
The first game of the day was between Liman and Ub Huishan. This was an opportunity for Liman to make up for their past defeat in Amsterdam, where they lost to their fellow Serbian team. This time, with a more experienced lineup, their chances were truly high.
Stefan Kojic made his mark right from the first seconds with a powerful shot, but he was quickly closed off by tight defense, blocking his drives to the basket and forcing long-distance attempts. Liman made errors that are risky against the champions—passing into empty space and losing the ball on the dribble. However, they managed to hold the lead. A shootout between Kojic and Strahinja Stojacic couldn’t determine a clear winner, and “Doctor Strange’s” team had to use “mind power” to guide the ball into the basket on a rebound as game time expired. Nenad Nerandžić brought victory to the reigning champions, who seem to always have luck on their side. The final score was 21:19 in favor of Ub Huishan NE.
Liman’s second game, against Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy, also had an intense finish with powerful long-range shooting. While accurate shots with defense from Stefan Kojic were expected, veteran Steve Sir’s successful shot surprised the audience and sent the game into overtime. Notably, Sir was far more accurate than the Serbian player, sinking 3 out of 8 long attempts compared to Kojic’s 1 out of 10. However, the more experienced Liman team managed to pull off a win over the developing Mongolian team, ensuring their spot in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Partizan Meta Force took revenge after their recent loss to Paris by winning 17:14. The low-scoring game reflected tight defense from both sides. Paul Djoko of the French team delivered impressive blocks, while Bogdan Dragovic literally charged head-on at opponents, causing them to lose composure. Stefan Milivojevic became the game’s top scorer, with 9 points and 6 rebounds—matching the total rebounds of the opposing team.
It could be said that Partizan Meta Force’s victory over Paris was a response to yesterday’s 5-on-5 basketball game, where Partizan Mozzart Bet, part of the Partizan family, couldn’t stop Paris in Belgrade.
Foto: FIBA 3×3
