Montenegrin e-athletes Dejan Raicevic i Filip Bojanic will participate in the European competition eEurocup, which starts this weekend in the title NBA2K. Namely, it is the second strongest competition in European 2K basketball, and Raičević and Filipović managed to qualify thanks to previously completed qualifications.
They are the first Montenegrins ever to qualify for this international competition. Filip Bojanić will represent the virtual field managing the Italian team Trento, while Dejan Raičević has chosen to wear the blue and white jerseys for his team at the eEurocup, and will play against the team Buducnost.
Raičević has been playing NBA2K for a long time, and has had the opportunity to represent Montenegro in various competitions. He does not hide the fact that he is glad that despite the strong competition, he managed to secure a place in the eEurocup through the qualifications, and he hopes that he will be able to show good play on the virtual court during the eEurocup.
"As for expectations, they are identical to those of the club I will represent, the season is just beginning, so we will see how things go. I am focused on playing good games and enjoying the competition, and every good result will be an additional plus," emphasizes Raičević, who believes that international tournaments, especially this one that will function as a league, help e-sports players progress.
"Tournaments like this play a key role in the development of e-athletes, as they provide an opportunity for continuous competition with top opponents. Given that the e-Eurocup is the second strongest competition in Europe, it can serve as an excellent basis for tournaments that have been increasingly organized in this title in recent years," notes Raičević.
The fact that he will manage the Buducnost team during the eEurocup is no coincidence, because as he says, he wanted to be a worthy representative of Montenegro in the international competition in this way as well.
"Given that Buducnost has always been close to me both as a club and as a symbol of Podgorica, the decision to play for them in the eEurocup was not difficult. I believe that playing with the home team in such a competition is a great thing, because by doing so I not only represent myself, but also my city and my country on the international stage. This gives me additional motivation, which can be crucial in key moments of matches, but also the responsibility to present the club in the best light," Raičević is honest.
He and Bojanić have known each other for a long time and have played together, so the friendly matches between them are great preparation for the upcoming eEuroscup, as well as the first game in this competition where the draw decided that they will play against each other.
"Filip and I have been part of the same e-sports community for a long time, so we will definitely play against each other to better prepare for the eEurocup. Friendly matches are a great way to test different tactics, analyze each other's strengths and weaknesses, and adapt the game to what awaits us in the league. Although we will be playing for different teams, we both have the same goal - to better represent Montenegrin e-sports on the European stage," Raičević does not hide his plans.
He and Bojanić will play two games a week, and considering that they have other commitments, he doesn't hide the fact that sometimes it's hard to keep up with the pace.
"Two games a week and the training sessions that are an essential part of e-sports are a big challenge considering my other commitments. Through previous experiences, I have learned how to organize my time and good organization is always the key. It is very important to plan my commitments in advance, so that I know when I have free time for training and matches. Although it requires dedication and a certain level of flexibility, I believe that anything can be achieved if you have a clear goal and if your commitments are properly organized," Raičević is confident.
Filip Bojanić has no less experience on the virtual field than Raičević, however, the other Montenegrin representative has much less experience when it comes to international competitions. However, one in which he participated brought him first place in this title.
"I've been playing NBA2K for the last seven or eight years, season after season. In terms of tournament experience, I've mostly participated in national competitions, and I only have one international one behind me, which was held in Podgorica at the Bemax Arena in 2022, and I was the winner of that one," Bojanić recalled.
Unlike Raičević, who will play with Buducnost at the eEurocup, Bojanić has chosen the Italian team Trento. While Italian basketball relies on team play and has a tactical approach to the game, focusing on technique, Balkan basketball has a more aggressive, attacking approach to the game. Regarding how difficult it will be to fit both on the virtual court, Bojanić answers:
"Since I had to go through the qualifications, I started from a lower position, so I decided to go for the Trento team from the remaining teams. I think they are quite different in terms of basketball from the teams we see in this region, but they certainly have their own qualities and I will adapt my game as much as I can to the Trento team. I will maintain that solidity and a slightly slower rhythm that they have."
Bojanić is also looking forward to having a famous opponent among his opponents - Dejan Raičević, and is sure that thanks to the friendly matches in the coming days, he will be able to prepare for the upcoming competition.
"I'm glad Dejan is playing in the tournament because we can follow the teams together, exchange advice and work on tactics. We play together every day, which helps us to better prepare and coordinate for the competition," notes Bojanić, who does not hide the fact that the set pace of two games per week is a challenge for every e-athlete.
"This will be a new experience in this format of competition. As far as competition is concerned, we are getting to know each other through friendly matches before the official start of the competition. All the players are extremely good and motivated. We expect to play strong games and be competitive against the best teams. My focus is on constant progress throughout the tournament, and my goal is to get the most out of every game," concludes Bojanić.
The top sixteen will advance to the playoffs, and the Final Four will be organized in a Best of 3 format.
Phygital could become the future of sports
Bojanić and Raičević recently participated in the first Phygital tournament held in Bar, together with the team “Phygutal dominator”. During the last day of this competition, which is a combination of sports and e-sports, Raičević and Bojanić showed that they are not only good at virtual, but can also compete with professional basketball players on the real court, playing 2v2.
“Phygital tournaments, like the one in Bar, were truly an exciting experience. Showing off my skills both on a virtual and real field created a unique combination that tested my overall sporting potential. The Phygital model is truly interesting and could become the future of sports, as it connects the two worlds of physical and digital in a way that allows participants to experience sports in a new way. Such sporting events, which I hope will become more and more common, can open the door to innovation while maintaining the authenticity of real sports, which could bring even greater opportunities for the development and promotion of sports,” Raičević believes.
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