Cibona Zagreb secured a hard‑fought 84–79 victory over arch‑rivals KK Split in the Favbet Premijer liga on May 23, 2026. The match at Zagreb’s Dražen Petrović Basketball Hall was a classic Croatian derby, filled with intensity, physical play, and late‑game drama that ultimately went in favor of the home side.

Match Overview

Both teams came out with tremendous energy, trading leads throughout the first half. Cibona’s inside game, led by veteran center Krunoslav Simon, gave them a slight edge, 43‑40, at the break. Split answered in the third quarter with a 12‑2 run, fueled by sharp shooting from guard Roko Leni Ukić, and took a 66‑61 lead into the final period. However, Cibona’s depth and experience showed in the fourth quarter, as they outscored Split 23‑13 to steal the win.

Key Moments

• Split’s third‑quarter surge: Ukić scored 9 points in three minutes, including a tough and‑1 layup that gave Split a 58‑51 lead. The Cibona crowd fell silent momentarily.
• Cibona’s fourth‑quarter response: A 10‑0 run sparked by bench guard Filip Bundović turned the tide. Bundović hit two triples and a driving layup to put Cibona up 73‑68 with 4 minutes left.
• Clutch free‑throw shooting: Cibona made 8 of 10 free throws in the final two minutes, with Simon calmly converting four straight to ice the game.

Standout Players

• Cibona Zagreb: Krunoslav Simon posted a double‑double (20 points, 12 rebounds) and was a force in the paint. Filip Bundović added 18 points off the bench, shooting 5/7 from beyond the arc.
• KK Split: Roko Leni Ukić led all scorers with 26 points (9/16 FG), but fouled out with 1:30 remaining – a critical loss for Split in the closing moments. Forward Mateo Drežnjak contributed 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Season Context

With this win, Cibona improves to 16‑8, strengthening their hold on second place in the Favbet Premijer liga standings behind league‑leading Zadar. Split drops to 13‑11 but remains in playoff contention. The rivalry between these two historic clubs continues to produce memorable contests, and this result will be remembered as a testament to Cibona’s resilience in front of their home fans.