For the first time in the club's history FMP Zeleznik has won the Nike International Tournament after an impressive 80-70 win over AXA FC Barcelona in the finals in the Palacios de Deportes Comunidad de Madrid on Sunday noon.
FMP Zeleznik is the winner of the 2008 edition
Game Report
2 Mins read
FMP won as well both qualifying tournaments and proved to be the best junior club in Europe in 2008. Three great prospects shinned for FMP throughout the entire tournament - guard Aleksander Milutinovic, center Dejan Musli and power forward Bojan Subotic, and all three were behind the win in the title game. FMP dominated the game from the start and took a 10 point lead early in the first quarter, which maintained until the final buzzer despite AXA's constant fight to stay in the game and threat the lead. Musli was the top scorer with 25 points and 14 rebounds, Subotic wrote down 21 points with eight boards while Milutinovic added 18 with eight rebounds as well. Nihad Dedovic led AXA with 29 points and 11 rebounds, Daniel Perez scored 15 in addition to six assists and Papa Abdoulaye had 11.
After AXA held the primary 0-2 lead Milutinovic finished in an explosive dunk and started a 16-4 run on AXA's account. Subotic and Musli dominated the game with Subotic feeding his team-mate or finishing by himself while AXA worked hard in every possession. Aleksander Ponjavic with an acrobatic basket and the bonus from the line set the final score of the first quarter, 26-14. Dedovic drew a lot of attention from FMP's defense but still found the space to draw fouls and hit 11 early points, but FMP's team- game and low shooting percentage by AXA kept the margin stable. Both teams struggled from long range connecting only one out of 14 from long range in the first 15 minutes, and AXA suffered more from than. Perez with a big assist to Dedovic followed by an unsportsmanlike foul he drew on a steal made it just a six point game, but Milutinovic and Musli dunked FMP back to hold a 41-31 lead at half time. Perez was in a zone starting the second half, and along with Abdoulaye brought AXA just four points behind. Milutinovic, Subotic and Musli quickly replied as the margin extended to 12. Dedovic with a three pointer set the third quarter score on 59-51 giving AXA more optimism entering the last quarter. Milutinovic combined five points in a row celebrating his team's 16 points difference, 67-51 with big emotions. FMP entered the last five minutes of the game with a 17 point difference, and despite AXA's last-minute efforts, which cut on the margin, the identity of the champs was known ahead of the buzzer.
