KK Triglav Kranj — Helios Domzale: 79:60, Liga Nova KBM

Triglav Kranj beat Helios Domžale 75:52 in the Liga Nova KBM on Thursday. The home side took three points from the contest, moving them closer to the teams above them in fifth place. By then, the gap between fourth and fifth had narrowed to just one win in the standings.

We had backed the hosts to come out on top, and the result vindicated that call. Fifty-nine per cent confidence was not a guarantee, but the home side dug in when it mattered. They let the visitors dictate tempo early, then found an answer through defence.

Kranj had lost four of their last five games before this match. The 79:89 defeat to Ilirija Ljubljana and the 69:72 loss to Zlatorog Laško had raised questions. Here they kept their side in it from the opening minutes, something they had not managed consistently lately.

Domžale sat fourth with thirteen wins from twenty-seven games. They had dropped points in three of their last five outings, including the 69:88 loss to Gorica and the 59:74 defeat to Polzela. The visitors carried the side's poor run into this fixture, and it showed in the scoreline.

The result leaves Triglav Kranj on twelve wins and Helios Domžale on thirteen. One more victory for either side would bring them level. The table goes out of the window in these games, but the points difference matters when the season closes.