Navarro Speaks Out After Zvezda's Heartbreaking Derby Loss: "We Must Learn From the First Half!"

Pulse Sports Team 22:22 - 22 October 2026

Partizan edged out Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet 85-82 in an overtime thriller in EuroLeague Round 7. Visiting head coach Ibon Navarro shared his post-game thoughts following the clash.

Follow the live play-by-play action of Partizan vs. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet on Sportal

Crvena Zvezda endured a true rollercoaster of a game, swinging from despair to brilliance and back again. While Ibon Navarro's squad had a real chance to claim victory in overtime, clutch three-pointers from Carlik Jones and Alessandro Pajola sealed the outcome. It proved to be a tough defeat for Navarro to analyze.

"We dug ourselves into a hole with a very poor first half. We managed to claw our way back in the second half through smarter defense, but we failed to control the defensive glass. We conceded a three-pointer following an offensive rebound by Carlik Jones, and Pajola's dagger sealed the game. We have to learn from the first half. We strayed from the game plan, and we must stick to our strategy and team identity. The silver lining is that we managed to bounce back against a top-tier opponent," said Ibon Navarro.