Cinkarna Celje beat Tresnavka 2009 80:53 in the WABA League on Wednesday evening. The home side took control early and never looked back, winning by 27 points. Our prediction of a home victory with 70 per cent confidence was right on the money, and for good reason — we had seen the pattern before.
These two teams met on 27 September, when Cinkarna won 89:50. Tresnavka came back on 4 October and lost 82:64 away to Brod na Savi, so they arrived with momentum in the wrong direction. By then, the gap between them was already clear.
Cinkarna have been solid at home this season. They sit fourth with eight wins from twelve games, four losses, and nothing in between. Their recent form includes that 72:50 win over Ilirija Ljubljana on Sunday, so they were in rhythm before this match.
Tresnavka, meanwhile, have been struggling. They lost five of their last five games listed, including both meetings with Cinkarna and two against Brod na Savi. The 64:82 defeat on Wednesday showed they were still finding their feet after the heavier loss.
The scoreline tells the story without needing minute-by-minute detail. Cinkarna were simply a class above, and the gap widened as the game went on. The support of the fans could be called devoted, but that is an assessment, not a fact. The fact is that the club sits top of the table — or close to it, depending on how you read the standings.
After this result, Cinkarna extend their advantage over Tresnavka in their head-to-head. Three wins from three meetings now, with goal differences of 89:50, 80:53, and whatever the aggregate says. Tresnavka have yet to find a way past them.
