Buducnost Bemax Edges Rilski Sportist in a Thrilling Battle of Free Throws

28 Oct 2026

In a game defined by major momentum swings on both sides, Buducnost Bemax secured a hard-fought 67-61 win over Rilski Sportist, showing nerves of steel from the free-throw line in the final minute and a half.

This result leaves the Bulgarian squad heartbroken once again, marking the fourth time this season they have lost by just one or two possessions. Both teams entered the matchup seeking their first win of the season, making for a high-stakes battle from start to finish.

2026-27 WABA League

Group A

Wednesday, October 28

Buducnost Bemax-Rilski Sportist 67-61 (22-20, 20-12, 10-12, 15-17) FULL STATS FULL GAME VIDEO GALLERY

The opening quarter set the tone for a wild night of scoring streaks. After the hosts scored the opening basket, Rilski Sportist locked in and rattled off 10 unanswered points, but Buducnost Bemax responded almost instantly to tie it 10-10. The game of runs continued as the Bulgarians put together an 8-0 surge to lead 18-10, only for the Montenegrin side to storm back with 12 straight points to take a 22-18 lead. Three mini-turnarounds followed quickly as the scoreboard swung to 24-22 for Rilski Sportist, then 29-24 for Buducnost Bemax, before the hosts broke a 29-27 tie with a 10-0 run to take a 37-27 lead. From there, Buducnost Bemax held the upper hand and maintained their advantage deep into the final period.

Rilski Sportist refused to go down without a fight and staged a spectacular late-game comeback. Trailing 44-54, the visitors suddenly found their rhythm from deep, draining three consecutive three-pointers before Radina Ilieva capped off the run with a clutch layup to shock the hosts and steal a 55-54 lead. Buducnost Bemax kept their composure under immense pressure, immediately returning fire with back-to-back three-pointers to reclaim a 62-55 lead, and ice-cold execution in the final moments saw them sink all five free throws to close out the win.

Buducnost Bemax relied on strong individual performances to anchor their win, led by Chantae Embry, who logged a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. Atina Radevic scored 14 points, and Milena Vujovic provided excellent bench efficiency, chipping in 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

For Rilski Sportist, Marie Kenembeni led with an impressive double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Gabriela Nikolova finished as the team’s next-highest scorer with 10 points.

Petar Stojanovic, Head Coach of Buducnost Bemax: