Zdenko Babić (born c. 1960[1][2]) is a retired Croatian basketball player. He is best known for scoring 144 points in a single game, a record in FIBA-sanctioned competition.[3]
On 10 October 1985, Babić scored 144 points playing for KK Zadar in a game of the 1985–86 Korać Cup against APOEL B.C. of Cyprus.[3][4] The first game of the two-legged tie between the two clubs had been won by KK Zadar with the score of 121–40.[1] This gave Zadar's coach Vlade Đurović an idea of attempting to surpass the then-recent Yugoslav First League record of 112 points in a game, set by Dražen Petrović.[4] He proposed this idea to Petar Popović, the club's top scorer, but he declined, and so did the other Zadar's leading players.[4][5] Babić, Zadar's sixth man, ultimately accepted the task of record-breaking.[1] When the game started, the local crowd quickly realized what was going on and enthusiastically cheered Babić on whenever he scored.[5] He needed only 26 minutes to reach 113 points, ending with a total of 144.[5] The game's final score was 192–116.[4]
Babić won the 1985–86 Yugoslav Championship with KK Zadar. Later in his career, Babić played with KK Gradine in Pula and Beauregard BC, with whom he won the Swiss Championship.[1]
See also
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edit- ^ a b c d "Spektakularni rekordi: Kobe Bryant dao 81, a Zadranin 144 koša". jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 24 January 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ "Babic consigue 144 puntos en un partido de baloncesto y supera el récord del también yugoslavo Drazen Petrovic". El País (in Spanish). 12 October 1985. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ a b Jerolimov, Pavao (8 October 2008). "Zdenko Babić". Zadarski list (in Croatian). Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d Miletić, A. "Senzacionalna pobeda – 236:27". Politika Online (in Serbian). Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ a b c "SRUŠIO DRAŽENOV REKORD Petrović ubacio 112, a Zadranin pet dana kasnije 144 koša". Index.hr (in Croatian). 10 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2019.