Zadar Plus Women beat Medveščak Zagreb Women 83:74 in the Premier League on Saturday, keeping their slim hopes alive at the bottom of the table. It was a tight contest from start to finish, and the hosts held their nerve when it mattered most. To be fair, neither side had much to play for, but that doesn't make the result any less meaningful for those involved.
By then, the home side had established enough of a cushion to control the tempo. They played the second half a man up in spirit, raising their intensity when the visitors threatened to close the gap. And here's the thing — it wasn't about domination so much as consistency, something Zadar Plus have struggled to find all season.
We had tipped the hosts to win, and we were right, though not without hesitation. Seventy percent confidence doesn't sound like much when you're watching a team that's lost eighteen of twenty-two games, but there was something about the way they'd set up that suggested they could win a tight one. They proved that by holding their nerve in the closing stages.
Both sides sit at the foot of the table with zero points after twenty-two matches, so the standings tell us very little beyond the obvious. What matters more is the trajectory. Zadar Plus have lost five of their last six, while Medveščak have only managed two wins all season. Neither run is inspiring, but neither is hopeless.
The gap between them remains one place, and one goal, though in a league where every point is precious, that distinction will shift. The hosts now have the chance to build on this, while the visitors must decide whether to keep pushing forward or accept their position. That price has gone, but the season isn't over yet.