Better Late Than Never

You could follow the Crvena zvezda – Partizan match live on Sportal.

"More than anything, we'd love for them not to advance."

With this statement, Carlik Jones previewed the EuroLeague Round 35 game against Crvena zvezda, and he wasn't joking.

Tonight, Partizan's basketball players delivered another outstanding performance in a packed red-and-white Arena, making Zvezda tremble and ponder, "What if this loss truly costs us a play-in spot?" They secured their sixth consecutive EuroLeague victory with a final score of 89:82.

It's common knowledge that the black-and-whites squandered their playoff chances late last year and early this year, as they were easily defeated by Virtus, Žalgiris, Maccabi, Monaco, Barca, and Olympiacos. It's also known that the resurgence under Joan Peñarroya and Carlik Jones's return to the court came too late to repair the damage from the first half of the season. From that perspective, Partizan had little left to play for in the EuroLeague season except to potentially disrupt someone else's plans.

Given these circumstances, Zvezda was the perfect "customer."

For the red-and-whites, this was one of the most crucial games of the season, one that could (and likely will) define the conclusion of the EuroLeague play-in race.

With this defeat, Zvezda missed a critical opportunity to secure a play-in spot. They will now likely face immense pressure in their upcoming clashes against Paris and Asvel, which seemed like sure wins before this derby.

Although he didn't start the game, Joan Peñarroya quickly sent him onto the court in place of Shayok Milton, who struggled to meet both offensive and, especially, defensive demands.

And Brown quickly repaid that trust. Not only did he score points and keep Partizan's offense alive, but he was also very aggressive on defense; he constantly pressured Zvezda's guards, stole several balls, and initiated multiple fast breaks.

Sterling had been largely dormant for most of the season, unrecognizable from the player who was a cornerstone of the team last season. However, it seems Joan Peñarroya has found a way to ignite him. True, Brown still occasionally makes serious defensive errors (for example, failing to box out or miscommunicating on switches), but it's clear Partizan cannot do without his scoring. Unfortunately for the black-and-whites, Brown woke up too late, at a point when Partizan's only remaining fight was for the ABA League title. But, better late than never...

Tonight, with 22 points, six rebounds, and two assists, alongside the undisputed Carlik Jones, he was one of the key players in Partizan's victory. If Peñarroya aims for the Adriatic champion title – which, considering everything Partizan has gone through this season and its recent state, would be a huge achievement – he will need to find a way to keep Sterling Brown in this offensive rhythm.

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