Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade’s victory over Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv on Thursday wasn’t just the team’s fourth in a row, it was its fourth straight home win.
Zvezda has turned Aleksandar Nikolic Hall into a fortress again
Article
4 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 29 of 34
Group Regular Season
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The good news for Zvezda is that, together with its loud and passionate fan base, it has turned its home court into a fortress. Opposing teams must brace themselves for the atmosphere at the historic Aleksandar Nikolic Hall – formerly known as Hala Pionir.
Not only is the arena filled with fans, but you never know what celebrities might show up. On Thursday, that list included tennis superstar Novak Djokovic and former Zvezda captain Zufer Avdija, whose son Deni played for Maccabi last season.
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“We could feel the energy in the arena. It’s great to be a Red Star player and fan at these moments,” said the team’s top scorer on the night, Nikola Kalinic, after the game.
Altogether, the stars on hand and Zvezda’s momentum created a festive atmosphere with the fans singing and chanting throughout the game. And while that is also the type of environment that all players want to compete in – and even more so after often playing in empty arenas during the COVID-19 pandemic, it can also weigh heavily on visiting teams. Especially when losing.
That is what happened on Thursday. Zvezda started strong and jumped to a big lead. Even though the Serbian champs had played just 48 hours earlier, when they knocked off Real Madrid, Zvezda seemed energized in a way that Maccabi’s supposed fresher legs couldn’t match. Zvezda dominated the hustle stats, especially on the boards, and the lead reached 16.
Even though Maccabi rallied a few times, the hole proved to be too big to overcome, in part because of the effort to come back each time. And in part due to the psychological strain of hearing the arena erupt into song after every big Zvezda shot.
As Maccabi Coach Avi Even summed up: “In this arena, when you don't take the momentum, it is very hard." And his point guard and team captain, John DiBartolomeo, added: “It’s a tough environment, a tough place to play.”
It is not all good news for Zvezda as it looks forward to making a run at a playoff spot. The bad news is that Zvezda may only have one more home date left to play in the regular season. That would be the regular-season finale against reigning champion Anadolu Efes Istanbul on April 7. And if it turns out that that game is played with a playoff berth on the line, it sure would be a hot ticket… And not a game that Efes will be looking forward to.