Meet Nexe: The best regular season result for “Thunder from Krndija“

Nexe

Nexe have been participating in SEHA - Gazprom League since the League’s beginning. This year in SEHA - Gazprom League they achieved their best result in regular season. It was the first time that they finished in Top 4, but it will be their second participation at the final tournament. They were part of the elite at the Final tournament in the end of 2014/2015 season when the hosts were Veszprem. Nexe finished that season at sixth position and it was the only season when six clubs participated at the final tournament.  

This season Nexe managed to set a lot of new records. They equalized their best ever points tally, as in the first SEHA season 2011/2012, they also took 39 points, but only to finish 5th. For the first time in history they celebrated a victory against their Croatian rivals PPD Zagreb.

Mario Tomic, Nexe’s fantastic line player previewed the Final 4, first one for many of the players in the squad: “We will take it match by match. We want to be at our best, and if an opportunity comes along to surprise one of the favourites, then we will try to go to the final or maybe win the SEHA League. These teams are some of the best in world handball, and we are going to do our best.”

Nexe is a team with excellent composition of young players with huge potential and players with a lot of handball experience. The experienced troops include the former World and Olympic champion, right wing Vedran Zrnic, the captain Marko Mrdjenovic, one of Nexe players who started to play handball in Nasice, or Slovenian left back Sasa Barisic Jaman who has been with Nexe since entering the first Croatian league and definitely feels at home in Nasice. Nexe also have the duo born in Zagreb, brothers Lelic. Goalkeeper Perica is still active and his brother Franjo is the former right wing for Nexe and today acts as the club’s assistant coach. Another veteran is Albin Eter, left winger who played in all eight SEHA seasons.

Their goalkeeper Moreno Car simply exploded this season, leading the League in saves made and saves percentage. In front of him was an excellent defense, the key of success, with defense-specialists like captain Marko Mrdjenovic and Aljaz Lavric. Excellent organizers of all Nexe's attacks are Ante Gadza, Patrik Leban and Tomi Vozab. Vozab also has a very high percentage from the seven meters line and is important in powerplay actions. Nexe’s strength are their line players, the duo Sipic-Tomic especially when they were in action with “seven players”. Two very important players were Marin Jelinic, who returned to the court after a long-term injury, and the right back Marko Buvinic

“The Thunder from Krndija“, how fans call Nexe players, became one most recognisable brands from Nasice and also one of the best sports team in eastern part of Croatia. So, with lots of enthusiasm, confidence and positive energy they are heading to the SEHA – Gazprom League Final 4 in Brest!