"Reds" after extra time defeated by Denmark

Not even for the seventh time, Montenegrin basketball players failed to finish the qualification for the European Championship with maximum performance - Jelena Škerović's team was defeated by Denmark after extra time 84:81 in the last match of Group F, which did not solve anything.

Škerović decided to use the scoreless match to give the younger players a chance, because the placement at the Eurobasket in Slovenia and Israel was won three days earlier with a triumph over Austria. Jelena Dubljević and Božica Mujović, two undisputed members of the first five, were in the lineup, but they sat next to the bench, in "civilian clothes".

A very even duel, in which neither team had more than a five-point advantage, was "destined" to end in overtime.

Denmark constantly kept the connection thanks to three-pointers, and Sara Mortensen completed the 6,75:8 series with her third goal from behind the 0 line, which the visitors turned to 59:55 in the 32nd minute.

At that moment, the team from the north of Europe had a great superiority in the offensive jump, because in that segment they "led" 14:2.

Sofija Živaljević returned the advantage to Montenegro in the 35th minute (63:61) with a triple, but she retaliated against Mortensen in the same way and forced Škerović to use the last time-out with four minutes and 46 seconds left.

After him, the 25-year-old player of Polish Arka from Gdina hit for three, and then Zorana Radonjić did the same and returned the record plus five (69:64).

Denmark immediately equalized, and at 71:71, both teams missed the chance to decide the winner in the regular course - Montenegro did not use two shots in two attacks, and the guests even six in three attacks.

The "Reds" opened the five-minute overtime with Bojana Kovačević's ramp and Marija Leković's three-pointer, but Denmark answered with a 7:0 series and announced the triumph.

Leković reduced the score to 79:80 with 47 seconds left, but that was all. Mortensen made both throws, and the 19-year-old Baranka failed to hit the third time in overtime from behind the 6,75 line, which settled everything with 10,6 seconds left.

Before the start of the match, and several times during its duration, the fans insulted the sports director of the national team, Dragan Vukčević, and after the match the players did exactly what they were forbidden to do - in front of the fans, they celebrated their passage to the Eurobasket with two fingers raised high.

MONTENEGRO - DENMARK 81:84 (19:20, 16:13, 20:21, 16:17, 10:13)

Podgorica - "Bemax Arena". Spectators: 1.200. Referees: Bajraktar, Tetik (Turkey), Mitrovski (North Macedonia).

Montenegro: Dubljević, KOVAČEVIĆ 9 (2-1), ŽIVALJEVIĆ 15 (1-1), Vukčević, Radonjić 9 (2-2), ŽIVKOVIĆ 17 (3-3), Mujović, Jakšić, Bigović 2, VUČETIĆ, Šćepanović 11 (2-1), LEKOVIĆ 18 (5-4).

Denmark: Pehadžić 2 (2-2), HESELDAL 5, Gudmand, TRIGEDSON 2, Vih 2, SEILUND 31 (6-6), Viso, JESPERSEN 25 (8-5), Iversen, Brino 3, Espensen, MORTENSEN 14 (2 -2).