Zeljko Obradovic defends Zach LeDay after his ejection in Belgrade derby / News - Basketnews.com

Zeljko Obradovic defended Zach LeDay's aggression and praised his team's second-half comeback efforts.

Credit: Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic Credit Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic

As could be anticipated, the ABA League derby between Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade delivered a thrilling game filled with drama and emotions.

Points this season

45%81,9Points made:81,9Accuracy:45,3%Place in standings:7Record max:98Record min:58Best scorer:Nemanja NedovicTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

The hosts, Crvena Zvezda, secured a narrow 88-86 victory in a game that reached its pinnacle with a game-winning shot from Yago dos Santos.

However, emotions ran high earlier when Zach LeDay received his second technical foul, leading to his ejection from the game with 1:38 left, while Partizan trailed by 7 points.

In the post-game conference, Partizan's coach, Zeljko Obradovic, was questioned about LeDay's aggressiveness in the match.

Obradovic, seemingly displeased with the term used, inquired, "What expression did you use?" The journalist repeated, "Aggressive."

Obradovic then responded with the following statements:

"The referees assessed him with two technical fouls. He was extremely motivated. Without hesitation, he provided the initial momentum for the team," Obradovic said, via Mozzart Sport. "Was he nervous? I don't know. I don't think it's correct to target one player. He didn't participate in those situations alone.

"On the other hand, every player should be calm. Some were composed, while others were less so, influenced by the intensity of the game. In the end, you witnessed players exchanging greetings," the legendary coach added.

Regarding the game dynamics, Obradovic emphasized that his team made great efforts in the second half to overcome a 21-point deficit.

"It is obvious that we played two different halves," Obradovic noted. "Zvezda started with three three-pointers, setting the tone for the first part of the match.

"The team's reaction was fantastic in the second half, and I'm proud of that. We could have won. I congratulate my players for their fight, and I congratulate Zvezda for their victory. They dominated, and we made a comeback."

With Sunday's win, Crvena Zvezda took a significant step towards securing the top spot in the ABA League regular season, boasting three more victories than their archrivals, standing at 16-2 compared to Partizan's 13-5 record.

Belgrade derby highlights:

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