Partizan reached the ABA League final over Crvena zvezda after two wins in the semifinal series
Partizan Mozzart Bet qualified for the AdmiralBet ABA League final after defeating Crvena zvezda Meridianbet 89:78 on May 21, 2026, in the second game of the semifinal, thereby closing the series with a 2:0 record in wins. According to the official ABA League announcement, the game was played in Belgrade, and by quarters it ended 16:28, 17:21, 20:18 and 25:22 in favor of the visiting team. Partizan thus used its first opportunity to advance after a home win in the first game and did not allow the series to return to a decisive third meeting. For Crvena zvezda, the regional season ended in a competition in which it entered the playoffs from third position in the Top 8 stage. The outcome of the semifinal resonated especially strongly because it was a Belgrade derby that has for years been one of the most important matchups in regional basketball in terms of results and organization.
Partizan's early escape directed the game
The official ABA League scoresheet shows that Partizan built the key advantage already in the first quarter, which it won 28:16. That margin gave the game a clear direction because Crvena zvezda had to chase the result from the start, while Partizan could control the rhythm and the distribution of attacking solutions. By halftime, the visitors' lead had grown to 49:33, after Partizan also won the second period, 21:17. Crvena zvezda tried to reduce the deficit after the break, but did not find a sufficiently stable run with which it could seriously threaten the opponent's progress. Although the home team won the final quarter 25:22, the margin created in the first twenty minutes proved too high.
According to ABA League statistics, Partizan had more available attacking options in the second game, and Bruno Fernando, Dylan Osetkowski and Sterling Brown stood out in particular. Fernando was the most efficient player of the winning team with 19 points, Osetkowski added 17, and Brown 16 points. Osetkowski also had Partizan's best performance index, 25, which according to the official statistics confirms his contribution in several segments of the game. Isaac Bonga grabbed seven rebounds, and Carlik Jones delivered eight assists, giving Partizan important breadth beyond pure shooting output. Such a distribution of workload was important because in games of this level it is difficult to rely on only one scorer.
For Crvena zvezda, according to the official scoresheet, Joel Bolomboy and Jordan Nwora offered the most, each scoring 12 points. Codi Miller-McIntyre finished the game with eight assists, but the home team lacked more effective attacking continuity in the first half. Zvezda managed to somewhat stop the deficit from growing in the third quarter, but it did not reverse the psychological direction of the match. It was especially evident how difficult it is to make up a deficit created against a team that entered the series with home-court advantage and additional confidence after the first victory. The official result of 78:89 therefore reflects not only the final margin, but also Partizan's ability to lead the game from start to finish.
The series was practically decided already in the first game
The first semifinal meeting was played on May 18, 2026, and according to the ABA League report Partizan then won 100:94 in Belgrade. It was a game of a significantly different rhythm, with a higher number of points and a dramatic finish. In its report, the ABA League stated that Partizan at one point had a lead of more than 20 points, while Crvena zvezda came within just one point in the closing stages with a big run. Still, Partizan found solutions in the final seconds through free throws and a drive by Duane Washington Jr., opening the series with a victory that proved decisive. That triumph gave the home team control over the semifinal and shifted the pressure to Crvena zvezda.
In the first game, Washington was, according to the official competition statistics, Partizan's top scorer with 23 points, while Jordan Nwora scored 31 points for Crvena zvezda. In its report, the ABA League emphasized that Partizan had a better rebounding ratio and more assists, which was important in the closing stages in which Zvezda almost completed a full comeback. Although the first game ended with only a six-point difference, its significance was greater than the result itself. Partizan retained home-court advantage, and Crvena zvezda entered the second game obliged to win. When it fell behind by a double-digit margin early in the second game, the path to a deciding game became extremely difficult.
The road to the semifinal and the importance of the Top 8 standings
According to the official ABA League standings for the 2025/26 season, Dubai Basketball and Partizan finished the Top 8 stage with a record of 21 wins and three losses, but Dubai was first due to a better performance in additional criteria, while Partizan was second. Crvena zvezda entered the playoffs as the third team with an 18-6 record, the same as fourth-placed Budućnost VOLI, but with a different overall ranking. Such a schedule determined the semifinal clash between Partizan and Crvena zvezda, while the other semifinal pair consisted of Dubai Basketball and Budućnost. In the context of the playoffs, second position gave Partizan home-court advantage in the derby, which proved important already in the first game. Zvezda, on the other hand, reached the semifinal after a more demanding quarterfinal.
Sportklub reported that Partizan eliminated Bosna BH Telecom in the quarterfinal with a 2:0 series score, including an 87:73 win in the second game at Sarajevo's Zetra. The same source stated that Crvena zvezda reached the semifinal after a deciding game against Cedevita Olimpija, which it defeated 95:86 in Belgrade to close the series at 2:1. That different path to the derby was an important part of the broader picture of the semifinal: Partizan had a shorter and more comfortable quarterfinal series in terms of results, while Zvezda had to spend more energy to advance. That does not decide games by itself, but in a packed playoff schedule it can affect freshness, preparation and the distribution of minutes. Partizan used precisely those advantages in the semifinal and closed the series without an additional meeting.
For the 2025/26 season, the ABA League introduced a system with 18 clubs, divided into two regular-season groups, after which the best teams continued in the Top 8 stage. According to the official description of the competition system, the six best-placed teams from the Top 8 stage directly qualified for the playoff quarterfinals, while the seventh and eighth teams and the two best teams from the Play-Out section played an additional Play-In. Such a format further emphasized the importance of position in the second part of the season because the standings affected the path through the playoffs and home court. Within that framework, Partizan's progress past Crvena zvezda confirms that the result from the Top 8 stage carried concrete weight. Crvena zvezda, despite ranking among the best teams in the competition, was stopped before the final series.
Partizan awaits the outcome of the other semifinal
By qualifying for the final, Partizan became the first to secure a place in the closing series of the AdmiralBet ABA League. According to the schedule and results published on the ABA League website on May 21, 2026, in the other semifinal Dubai Basketball led Budućnost VOLI 1:0 after a 104:90 win in Zenica, while the second game was scheduled for May 25 in Podgorica. This means that Partizan did not have a confirmed final opponent at the moment of advancing. If Dubai confirms its passage, the final would bring together the two best teams from the Top 8 stage, while Budućnost's progress would bring a matchup between Partizan and the club that finished fourth in that stage. In both cases, it is a series in which a high level of continuity will be required, because Partizan raised expectations in the semifinal.
Dubai Basketball, according to the official ABA League standings, finished the Top 8 in first place with the same win-loss record as Partizan, but with a better overall point difference. Budućnost entered the same round as fourth with 18 wins and six losses, which confirms that the other semifinal pair also gathered teams from the very top of the competition. For Partizan, the most important thing is that it completed the semifinal job in two games, without the additional burden of a third duel. This gives the coaching staff somewhat more room for player recovery and adjustment to the tactical profile of the future opponent. In the final, however, earlier results will have limited importance because the series starts from the beginning, and daily form, discipline and the ability to adapt will decide.
The derby again showed the weight of the regional rivalry
Partizan and Crvena zvezda duels in the ABA League have sporting weight that goes beyond an individual game. These are clubs that regularly compete at the highest regional level and whose mutual meetings often directly affect the distribution of trophies, playoff positions and the European reputation of regional basketball. This semifinal series further emphasized that context because one of the biggest rivals had to end the season before the final. Partizan showed a better reaction in key periods over the two games, while Crvena zvezda had moments of comeback, especially in the closing stages of the first game, but failed to turn them into a victory. According to the available official data, the final 2:0 series score clearly confirms Partizan's result superiority in this semifinal.
For Partizan, reaching the final is a continuation of a season in which it was among the most stable teams in the regional competition. The team finished the Top 8 stage with 21 wins, was secure against Bosna in the quarterfinal, and eliminated currently one of the strongest regional rivals in the semifinal. For Crvena zvezda, the defeat means that after a demanding quarterfinal series it failed to shift quickly enough in terms of results and energy to the derby against Partizan. In sporting terms, the deciding factors were the combination of Partizan's better opening to the second game and its ability to survive the opponent's almost complete comeback in the first game. That gave the semifinal a very clear story: Zvezda had periods in which it threatened, but Partizan had more stability and final control.
In the continuation of the season, the focus moves to the final series, in which Partizan will try to confirm its playoff form. According to the official ABA League schedule, the final opponent will depend on the outcome of the series between Dubai Basketball and Budućnost VOLI, which was still ongoing on May 21. Partizan enters the final with two important psychological advantages: eliminating Crvena zvezda and the fact that it finished the semifinal undefeated. Still, the closing stage of the regional league regularly brings a different level of pressure, especially when playing for the trophy and the status of the best team of the season. Therefore, the derby victory will be important capital, but not a guarantee of ultimate success.
Sources:
- ABA League – official report on the second semifinal game Crvena zvezda Meridianbet – Partizan Mozzart Bet and Partizan's advancement to the final (link)
- ABA League – official report on the first semifinal game Partizan Mozzart Bet – Crvena zvezda Meridianbet (link)
- ABA League – official standings of the Top 8 stage and club rankings in the 2025/26 season (link)
- ABA League – official description of the competition system for the 2025/26 season (link)
- Sportklub – report on Partizan's quarterfinal victory against Bosna BH Telecom (link)
- Sportklub – report on Crvena zvezda's progress against Cedevita Olimpija in the quarterfinal (link)