Teamwork vs HeroBall

Last night's game between Serbia and the Philippines was very lopsided. The score? 126-67. That's right, it looks like an exhibition game or a practice game by the Serbs to prepare against Italy tomorrow, Wednesday.

Nemanja Bjelica, who missed the game against Angola was perfect, 4/4 2FG, 3/3 3FG and 3/3 FT for 20 points. 7 players reached double figures while dominating the assist department with 37. With 48/64 from the field, 12/22 from downtown and 18/22 from the foul line, they just looked like practicing the whole game after having a deadlock of 11 all during the first quarter.

Moje Srbija forced the Philippines into 14 turnovers, and missed 20 of their 24 3 point shots, which implies that speed doesn't matter if you play hero-ball with Andray Blatche always gets depended with the ball, or CJ Perez, who was on the wrong side of the highlight reel when Vasilije Micić stole the ball from him and made a fabulous pass that lead to a Nikola Milutinov dunk. Most of the highlights by the Serbs were plain heart and teamwork. Nikola Jokić dropped 14/7/7 against an overrated Philippine frontline that can't even play hard on defense after the last tied score, Bogdan Bogdanović was just putting three point fireworks along the way with 17 points, 4/5 are from behind the arc.

Philippines showed why they won't be a better team unless they shift into European basketball. Andray Blatche, the US naturalized import with lots of NBA experience scored 5 points and fouled out in the 4th, missing 6 of 7 3 pointers. Džunmar Fahardo finished with 8 points and 6 rebounds, the best player outside of Blatche. The lowlight of the Philippine defeat was when Paul Lee did a Robert Horry-esque bump on Marko Gudurić in the middle of the 4th quarter, out of frustration, which was obviously dirty.

Bottomline: Srbija's teamwork and heart proved overwhelming to the Philippine hero-ball game.

Srbija will be preparing for Italija tomorrow, srećno orlovi!

Kosovo Košarkaš Dosetka

What a joke!!! FIBA recgonized the Kosovo basketball program????!?! That's crap! How come that said organization allow an invaded state to be admitted? Does FIBA know what it meant?

Being a Serbian basketball fan and a firm supporter of a Serbian Kosovo, this is unacceptable since this would ruin the beautiful game of basketball both in and out. Shame on FIBA and those who let Kosovo be the newest member.

“The admission of Kosovo to FIBA membership, despite objections from Serbia, was a logical consequence of Kosovo’s membership of the International Olympic Committee (granted in December 2014). The Basketball Association of Serbia will do everything to protect the Serbian clubs and players in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija,” the KSS said.

“We expect FIBA to take seriously our warning that matches at any level, club or international and ranging from youth to senior, should be avoided at all costs,” it said.

Košarkaška reprezentacija Srbije

 

Time to break away a bit from politics and religion and my life. This entry focuses on Serbian Basketball. As more than three months will pass by, i am hoping and rooting for this team to make it all the way to the finals at least, if it makes an improvement on its roster.

Yet during the 2011 Eurobasket and 2012 Eurobasket qualifiers, the national team had a hard time finding it's rhythm, chemistry and  finding better shots. The coach that time, Dušan Ivković, had a hard time to have them gel in just a short period of time, unlike the Yugoslavian dream team he coached during the late 80's and 90's. In the ESPN 30 for 30 film Once Brothers, he compared that generation to the ones he is coaching and he is in favor of the earlier one.

There are a few bright spots in the national team this past Eurobasket 2013.

                          

                                                  Nemanja Nedović

Bogdan Bogdanović

 

Nenad Krstić

 

Nemanja Bjelica

 

And others. But with Miloš Teodosić, Vladimir Lučić injured and some players like Boris Savović, Tadija Dragićević, Dejan Musli and others who deserved a chance to play for the Beli Orlovi.

We, supporting Serbian Basketball all the way will keep tracking the personnel moves that will be made and will cheering for no team but Serbia.

SRBIJA SRBIJA!