Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade used a late surge to run past Anadolu Efes Istanbul to victory in Round 34. Nikola Kalinic and Nate Wolters made the difference in crunch time.
Zvezda's late heroics pay off
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4 Mins read
Zvezda, which had been eliminated from the playoffs already, trailed 74-80 late in the fourth quarter, but managed to stay alive in the most critical moments. Ognjen Dobric buried a critical three-pointer, then Luka Mitrovic followed a three-point play with a layup that tied the game, 82-82, with 3 minutes remaining. Shane Larkin drew a foul and calmly made free throws to give Efes an 82-84 lead. Zvezda improved its defense in the final 2 minutes and looked for its most experienced players in crunch time. Wolters and Kalinic were ready to deliver.
Wolters tied the game with his trademark floater and then Kalinic shifted the game's momentum with arguably the most important play of the night. He pulled down a rebound, raced downcourt and dunked at the other end, drawing a foul to complete a three-point play. Efes struggled when it matter most and Zvezda kept attacking the rim. Wolters and Kalinic took over with consecutive layups to seal the outcome, 91-85.
The hosts finished the game with an 11-1 run to get a 93-85 victory. Kalinic finished the game with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Nate Wolters had 15 points and 3 assists. Both of them made the difference, letting Zvezda fans enjoy one final win to the 2021-22 EuroLeague season.