SC Derbi Secures First Season Win Against Split Despite Injuries

SC Derbi achieved a vital victory against Split on October 26, 2023, marking their first win of the season, including qualifying matches for the FIBA Champions League. Despite missing two key starters, Darius Johnson and Justin Turner, due to injuries, the team demonstrated resilience throughout the match, maintaining a lead for approximately 36 minutes.

The game started strong for SC Derbi, who surged ahead by as much as 11 points in the first quarter, ending it at 26-15. In the third quarter, the team extended their advantage to 17 points on three occasions, with scores of 64-47, 66-49, and 71-54. However, a significant dip in performance during the second quarter saw Split level the game at 45-45 by halftime. The fourth quarter proved challenging as Split narrowed the gap, threatening with a score of 76-72 before SC Derbi secured the win with a final score of 81-77.

Psychological Significance of the Victory

Petar Mijovic, head coach of SC Derbi, emphasized the psychological importance of this win, especially following two previous losses in similar matches. “This was an extremely tough victory,” Mijovic stated. “We had periods of excellent play, where we led by 17 points on three occasions, but we also experienced inexplicable dips in our performance. These lapses often stem from defensive softness in critical situations and mistakes due to the increased aggression from our opponents.”

Statistically, SC Derbi showed improvement compared to their earlier matches in the ABA League. The team shot 62.9% for two-pointers and 87.5% from the free-throw line, outperforming their previous two games where they averaged 28 rebounds. They also recorded 21 assists, significantly higher than their totals against Borac and FMP, where they had 13 and 15 assists, respectively.

Mijovic acknowledged that the team is currently facing challenges without two primary playmakers. “There truly are problems when no team plays without its two main creators—without Johnson as our starting point guard and Turner as our starting shooting guard,” he added.

Injury Concerns Cast Shadow on Victory

While the win brought joy to the SC Derbi squad, it was tempered by the injury of Amar Gegic, who exited the game with less than four minutes remaining. He finished the match with 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Mijovic expressed concern about Gegic’s condition, stating, “It doesn’t look good; we will see after further assessments what the situation is.”

SC Derbi will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to face Igokea in their next match. The upcoming game presents another opportunity for the team to solidify their performance and address the challenges posed by injuries. The resilience shown against Split may prove crucial as they navigate the rest of their season in both domestic and international competitions.