The Club Friendship preseason series continued with a hard-fought Serbian derby as KK Mladost Zemun edged Tamis Petrohemija 84-77 in a game that was decided in the final five minutes. Played on September 19, 2026, the contest at Zemun's home floor was everything a local rivalry should be: tight, physical, and full of momentum swings, before the hosts finally pulled clear behind a decisive fourth-quarter run.

Match Overview

Mladost Zemun came into the fixture looking to build rhythm ahead of the new campaign, while Tamis Petrohemija, the Pančevo-based club with a long tradition of developing tough, disciplined guards, arrived determined to test their hosts on the road. The visitors started the brighter of the two sides, moving the ball quickly and finding open looks from the perimeter, but Mladost's response was measured rather than panicked.

By halftime the game had settled into a pattern that would define the night: Tamis controlling stretches with patient half-court offence, and Mladost answering with transition baskets and second-chance points. Neither team managed to build a double-digit cushion until the closing stretch, which kept the atmosphere tense right to the final buzzer.

Key Moments

• First quarter: Tamis Petrohemija opened with a short burst from beyond the arc, forcing Mladost into an early timeout and an adjustment to their pick-and-roll coverage.
• Second quarter: Mladost's bench provided the spark, with aggressive drives and offensive rebounding turning a small deficit into a narrow lead at the break.
• Third quarter: The game turned into a genuine back-and-forth exchange, with the lead changing hands multiple times and neither defence able to fully impose itself.
• Fourth quarter: The decisive passage came midway through the final period, when Mladost strung together a run built on stops and fast breaks, pushing the margin to a comfortable working distance.
• Closing minutes: Tamis fought back with quick threes and foul-line trips, but Mladost's composure at the free-throw line sealed the 84-77 result.

Tactical Story

Mladost Zemun's win was built on defence that grew sharper as the game wore on. Early on, their help rotations were a step slow, allowing Tamis to find rhythm shooters on kick-outs. As the match progressed, the hosts flattened their defensive stance, closing driving lanes and forcing contested mid-range attempts late in the shot clock.

Offensively, Mladost leaned on ball movement and interior pressure. Their guards consistently attacked the rim to collapse the Tamis defence, creating open corner looks and offensive rebound opportunities. Tamis, meanwhile, relied on their structured half-court sets, using off-ball screens to free shooters and punishing Mladost whenever the hosts gambled for steals.

The rebounding battle was arguably the quiet deciding factor. Mladost's ability to grab extra possessions — particularly on the offensive glass in the second half — effectively erased several of Tamis's best offensive sequences and kept the hosts in front during the tense closing stretch.

Standout Performances

An 84-point night in a seven-point game usually means contributions arrived from multiple sources, and that was exactly the case for Mladost. Their backcourt dictated tempo in the second half, while the frontcourt provided physicality on the boards and finishing around the rim. For Tamis Petrohemija, the perimeter shooting kept them competitive deep into the fourth quarter, and their guard play remained composed even when the hosts began to pull away.

Season Impact and What Comes Next

The victory gives KK Mladost Zemun a valuable dose of confidence in the Club Friendship schedule, particularly because it came against a familiar domestic opponent. Winning tight games in the fourth quarter is a habit coaches want built early, and the way Mladost closed this one out — with defensive stops and made free throws rather than hurried shots — was the most encouraging sign of the night.

For Tamis Petrohemija, the 84-77 defeat still offered plenty of positives. Their half-court execution and perimeter shooting were effective for long stretches, and the margin never got away from them until the final minutes. Tightening late-game rebounding and limiting second-chance points will be the clear focus in the next training sessions.

Both clubs now move on in the Club Friendship calendar, with Mladost looking to carry their fourth-quarter form forward and Tamis aiming to convert competitive showings into results.