Preview: Tresnjevka Looks to Continue Momentum Against Struggling Split

SPLIT, Croatia (Interstat) — A matchup of teams on opposite trajectories will unfold Saturday when Tresnjevka visits Split in a women’s professional basketball game.

The game, organized by the Croatian league, tips off at 6 p.m. local time at Split Arena in Split, Croatia.

Tresnjevka (9-8) enters on a two-game winning streak, including a decisive 69-53 road victory over Rijeka on Dec. 20. Guard Nina Novak led the charge in that contest, scoring 21 points with six rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes. Center Ana Vojtulek nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while forward Sara Heljic added 13 points and five assists.

In contrast, Split (1-10) is mired in a difficult season, having lost 10 of its last 11 games. Its most recent outing was a narrow 71-69 home loss to KASL Split on Dec. 19. Iva Tabak scored 29 points in that defeat, with Lara Pavela adding 17 points and four assists.

The head-to-head history heavily favors Tresnjevka. In their most recent meeting on Oct. 4, Tresnjevka dominated Split in a 98-39 rout. Tresnjevka’s season has been marked by inconsistency but features strong performances, including a 78-42 win over KASL Split and a 93-34 victory against Zadar. Split’s lone win was a 45-44 result against Medvescak on Nov. 22, but the team has suffered several lopsided defeats.

Tresnjevka will look to Novak and Vojtulek to control the tempo and exploit a Split defense that has allowed an average of 71.5 points per game in domestic play. Split will rely on the scoring of Tabak and Pavela to keep the game competitive and search for a rare positive result.

Following this game, Tresnjevka will host Medvescak on Jan. 17. Split will travel to face Sibenik on the same date.