Fazi edge TraceOne in gritty CLN 3 quarter-final opener
In a low-scoring, physical quarter-final that never let go of its tension, Fazi defeated TraceOne 61–55 on Saturday evening in Niš, opening the series with a hard-earned victory. The game — played under playoff intensity at OŠ "Ivo Andrić" — unfolded as a battle of stops, late free throws and a handful of decisive individual performances.
The scoreboard told the story of momentum swings. Fazi jumped out to a 16–7 lead in the first quarter, surrendered the second as TraceOne tightened its defense (6–13), then dominated the third period 21–14 to build separation. The fourth quarter was a frenetic finish (18–21), with TraceOne rallying but ultimately unable to overcome Fazi’s late composure.
The player of the game was Ilija Radenković, who finished with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-8 from long range and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line. He added 3 rebounds and 5 assists while committing just one turnover, and his four late free throws — two at 00:33 of the fourth and two earlier in the period — iced the outcome after a late push from TraceOne.
TraceOne’s chief offensive threat was Lazar Kocić, who poured in 26 points on 10-of-23 shooting and hauled down 10 rebounds; his interior work and trips to the foul line (6-of-10) kept TraceOne within striking distance throughout. Marko Kovačević supplied a key late three-pointer that trimmed the margin to single digits in the closing minute, but the visitors could not find a final, clean defensive stop.
Fazi’s scoring was more balanced than the box score suggests. Aleksandar Trajković contributed 13 points and knocked down a timely corner triple in the fourth; Stefan Ristić was a force on the glass with an 18-rebound performance, providing Fazi with second-chance security and freeing up perimeter possessions. Secondary plays — defensive rebounds, timely free throws and controlled ball movement — determined the outcome more than any single explosion of scoring.
Tactically the game was defined by deliberate pace and half-court execution. TraceOne tried to attack inside through Kocić and mix in pick-and-rolls to create contact and free-throw opportunities. Fazi countered with disciplined perimeter defense and opportunistic offense, leaning on Radenković’s shot creation and a few transitional bursts to keep the scoreboard ticking.
The margins in this series opener were thin: turnovers were kept relatively low by the victors, and free-throw execution late in the fourth proved decisive. TraceOne showed resilience and the capacity to run off streaks, but Fazi’s blend of rebounding, timely triples and clinical foul shooting in the final minute produced the winning margin.
With the series now underway, both teams will head into the next game with adjustments to make — TraceOne aiming to convert its late chances into defensive stops, and Fazi looking to maintain the balance that earned them this narrow triumph.
Quarter-by-quarter: Q1 16–7, Q2 6–13, Q3 21–14, Q4 18–21 — final 61–55.
This post is generated by AI.
