You can ask any basketball player and it doesn’t matter how ugly the win is — they’ll take it.

A win is a win is a win.

It was clear from the get-go that Ljubljana Head Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic knew the only way his team was going to have a chance at a positive result was by playing ugly, physical, rough-and-tumble basketball and seeing how long it could hang with Hapoel Jerusalem. To his credit, Mitrovic’s squad did exactly that, keeping the game close for nearly the entire first half while making life difficult for the Reds on the offensive end.

But Mitrovic didn’t account for one Kenny Lofton Jr.

With under four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Lofton decided enough was enough and took control of the game. The big man helped Jerusalem turn a tight contest into a double-digit advantage by halftime, giving the Reds the cushion they would carry for the remainder of the night.

Ljubljana made several runs in the second half and tried to claw its way back into the game, but Jerusalem always had an answer. Shake Milton, Jaleen Smith and Yovel Zoosman all knocked down big baskets when they were needed most, allowing the Reds to close out a 75-64 victory and move to 2-0 in EuroCup play.

Was it pretty? Absolutely not.

Did it matter? Not one bit.

There is plenty for Sasa Obradovic to unpack from this game, from Lorenzo Brown’s Jerusalem debut to Dusan Miletic’s continued effectiveness and the toughness shown by Smith and Zoosman. Then there are the 20 turnovers, the brutal 22-of-35 shooting from the free-throw line and the foul trouble that put several players in difficult situations.

But for now, Jerusalem can let bygones be bygones and turn its attention to Hapoel Holon before preparing for San Pablo Burgos in EuroCup action.

Obradovic is undoubtedly happy with the win, although he probably wasn’t thrilled with everything he saw on the court.

Brown had a solid debut and should only get better as he works his way into game shape. He finished 1-of-5 from the field for four points, added four assists and eventually fouled out. Still, the former Maccabi Tel Aviv guard showed enough for Obradovic to believe that, with time, he can become an important piece in place of the injured Jared Harper.

Jerusalem had played just 48 hours earlier before making the trip to Slovenia, but the Reds understood exactly what they needed to do against Mitrovic’s aggressive squad. They matched Ljubljana’s intensity, absorbed the physicality and found a way to get the win.

That says something about this team.

Not just its physical toughness, but its mental toughness as well.

Jerusalem knew full well this was a trap game — the type of contest that can easily slip away if a team isn’t ready to match its opponent’s intensity. But the Reds refused to let that happen and made sure a potential defeat wouldn’t come back to haunt them.

Miletic has quickly become one of the more important contributors on this team, perhaps even more than he expected when he arrived. At 214 centimeters, or 7-feet, the Serbian big man knows how to score inside and has also proven to be an effective defender.

When Obradovic brought Miletic in, the vast majority of Jerusalem fans had probably never heard of him. They certainly know him now. Miletic has been a very, very good addition to this squad.

Of course, Obradovic will have plenty to say about those 20 turnovers. Count them: 20.

That is simply too many for any serious basketball team, especially one with bigger ambitions. But coaches will always live with mistakes a little easier when they come in a victory.

The free-throw shooting is another issue that will need to be addressed.

Jerusalem shot just 62.9% from the charity stripe, leaving 13 points at the line. Dusan Cacok was particularly problematic, going 0-of-7 from the free-throw line. It wouldn’t be surprising if Obradovic has him spending plenty of time at the stripe in practice, simply shooting one after another until those free points start becoming automatic.

Those misses could have easily cost Jerusalem the game.

Fortunately for the Reds, they didn’t.

Lofton finished just 3-of-9 from the field, but once again, he was there when Jerusalem needed him most. His second-quarter burst created the separation the Reds needed, allowing them to build a manageable lead and then control the game from there.

That is ultimately what this Jerusalem team is learning to do: win.

It doesn’t always have to be pretty. It doesn’t always have to be dominant. Sometimes, especially on the road and in a trap game against an aggressive opponent, you simply have to find a way to get the job done.

Jerusalem did exactly that.

An ugly win? Sure.

But a win nonetheless.

And at the end of the day, winners win.