Slovan Bratislava — MBK Handlova: 62:63, Extraliga

Slovan Bratislava lost 62:63 to MBC Handlová in the Extraliga on Wednesday. The visitors ground out the win with a single point to spare after what proved to be a tightly contested affair.

And here's the thing — Slovan had been finding their rhythm. They'd won three of their last five, including a convincing 97:62 victory over Spišskí Ritieri. Handlová, meanwhile, were coming off a heavy 75:89 defeat to Komárno and hadn't tasted victory since April.

By then nobody expected Handlová to come away with anything. To be fair, their shooting told a different story. They hit 24 of 63 field goals compared to Slovan's 20 from 48 attempts. The visitors also dominated the boards, pulling down 38 rebounds to the hosts' 29, with 13 on the offensive end.

The statistics tell you where the game was lost. Slovan took 24 three-point attempts and made only six. Handlová were more efficient from distance, converting 6 of 16. The hosts also turned the ball over 12 times to Handlová's 8, and those extra possessions mattered when the score was so tight.

One mistake ends it in a game like this. Slovan had been in control for stretches, but Handlová's aggression on the glass and cleaner ball handling carried them through. The visitors remain ninth with 12 wins and 24 defeats, while the hosts' recent run of results suddenly looks less secure.

We had backed the home side at 68 per cent confidence. The match went the other way. Slovan's shooting from three-point range never got going, and Handlová's ability to create second chances on the offensive end proved decisive in the closing moments.