The Montenegrin basketball players faltered at the last step - they lost to Serbia in the play-off for placing from fifth to eighth place at the European Championship (63:58) and thus were left without a chance to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Therefore, the impression is not complete, although it is probably clear to everyone that our selection at the Eurobasket exceeded its own capabilities...
Montenegro was in the deficit for most of the match in "Stožice", Serbia mostly had a double-digit advantage from the middle of the second quarter, and kept it for a long time in the continuation, until the middle of the last period when Jelena Škerović's team came to five with a 7:0 series minus points (55:50).
Led by Nataša Mek, who led a fierce fight under the hoops and ran out of energy when the match was breaking, and Marija Leković - Montenegro came to a situation where it believes in a big turnaround and a path to qualification for the OI.
At five points behind, she even had two perfectly organized attacks to further reduce the deficit - Mek, however, missed both free throws, then Leković made an open three-pointer, so Marina Maljković's team rejected that rush.
Later, it was true, it was 61:58, but only 20 seconds before the end, when it became clear that Montenegro could only avoid defeat with a miraculous turnaround.
Mek finished the match with 20 points and 13 rebounds, Leković stopped at 18, while Bojana Kovačević and Jelena Vučetić each scored eight...
On the other side, Yvon Anderson (23) was excellent.
Montenegro ended its appearance at Eurobasket with three victories, the game in the round of XNUMX and the convincing triumph against Italy will be especially remembered, but in the rest of the championship it was simply a victim of a shorter rotation and an objectively higher quality opponent - this was seen against a super team like France , but even today in a duel with the current champion of Europe...
MONTENEGRO - SERBIA 58:63 (16:19, 15:19, 12:15, 15:10)
Ljubljana - Hall "Stožice". Spectators: 200. Judges: Luis Castillo (Spain), Mihail Proc (Poland), Cecilia Tot (Hungary).
Montenegro: Mek 20 (8-4), Kovačević 8, Živaljević, Pašić, Radonjić (2-0), Živković, Mujović 4 (2-2), Bigović, Vučetić 8, Šćepanović, Leković 18 (4-3), Jovanovic.
Serbia: Raca, Čađo, Jovanović 1 (2-1), Crvendakić 11 (1-1), Anderson 23 (7-7), Stanković 3 (2-1), Nogić 10 (3-3), Topuzović, Janković 6 (2-2), Krajišnik 3 (3-1), Katanić, Đorđević 6 (4-4).
Mek missed two free throws, then Leković made an open three-pointer - 61:56 remained for Serbia.
Then Anderson committed a foul in the attack, and Jelena Škerović called for a time-out 25 seconds before the end.
Serbia was again at plus seven, reduced by Leković to 61:56.
Montenegro has no solution for Anderson, it scored in 59:54.
Time-out Škerović, after which Đorđević will have two free throws at 3.46:XNUMX until the end of the game.
New points for Mac, now minus three - 57:54.
Our selection had an attack to close to two or three point difference, Leković lost the ball, and then Đorđević hit free throws for 57:50.
Mujović then brought the "reds" back to minus five - 57:52.
Montenegro series 7:0, now it's only 55:50 for Serbia after Kovačević's triple. Before that, Leković tied four points.
Marina Maljković had to react, who called a time-out six minutes and 39 seconds before the end.
Serbia opened the last period with points from Crvendakić for 55:43, Leković countered - 55:45.
After three quarters, Montenegrin basketball players lose 53:43. They have a lot to change in the final 10 minutes if they are to turn it around and get the win that would see them qualify for the Olympics.
An excellent breakthrough by our playmaker Marija Leković for 51:41 a little more than a minute before the end of the third quarter.
A mistake in the defense of Montenegro, a basket under a foul by Anderson at the very end of the attack - Serbia now leads 51:39.
Mek stood out with a block, and then on the other side she hit one of two free throws - Serbia leads 48:39.
A very important triple by Marija Leković, Montenegro reduced it to 46:38.
After less than four minutes of the game, Jelena Škerović asked for a time-out. Montenegro loses 46:35 and cannot find the right rhythm.
Mek was safe from the penalty line, just like Nogić - our team is still minus 11 (44:33).
Anderson was safe twice, so Serbia leads 42:31 after two and a half minutes of play in the third quarter.
The third quarter began with two bad attacks by our team.
Montenegrin basketball players have a seven-point deficit at halftime - Serbia is leading 38:31 in a duel that is crucial for qualifying for the Olympic Games.
Vučetić forced an unsportsmanlike foul from Jovanović, and our team used it to reduce the gap - Serbia now leads 36:30.
Mek and Kovačević easily scored two attacks of our selection, which is now at minus nine - 36:27.
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