The second Mundobasket story for the Montenegrin national team begins at the place where 45 years ago Yugoslavia's basketball players won their second world gold, in the city that is remembered for one of the most famous boxing matches between Muhammad Ali and Joe Fraser.
The "Reds" will play their first match against Mexico (10.45:XNUMX a.m. our time) and they want to go the right way towards history and placement in the second stage of the World Cup.
"We have a long way to go, here we are probably in the best squad we have, but I don't think that guarantees that we will win games. Good energy, solid play and a fight for every ball can do that," said coach Boško Radović.
The team is ready for all challenges, according to Radović.
"We are expecting an exciting championship. We have a group in which we can play and we will try to pass it. There are three opponents who play a different type of basketball and we have to be ready for all these things. We are going match by match, the first opponent is Mexico and that's all about it we think," pointed out Radović.
The first match is mostly the most important, and after it it will be clearer how much Montenegro can do in the future.
"At every championship, the first game can be crucial, and in this case the duel with Mexico is very important for both teams," said Radović.
Journalists from Mexico were interested in how Montenegro was preparing for that selection.
"When we look at European and South American basketball, Mexico represents an atypical team for us. I certainly think they have a good, experienced team... We did scouting and as I said before - that game could be crucial for us," answered Radović.
On Sunday, Montenegro plays Egypt, on Tuesday the rival is Lithuania, the favorite of group D.
"If Lithuania lacks some NBA players, it has players from the Euroleague. If we were to run out of basketball players from the Euroleague, we would have to call players from the Montenegrin league. That's a big difference - I don't worry much about them, more about us," he was picturesque Montenegrin selector.
If they win one of the first two places in the group, our boys will continue the Mundobasket competition in a new group in which (if there are no big surprises in group D) two big basketball nations - the United States of America and Greece - will be waiting for them.
Apart from the potential match with the "dream team", what is even more important is that by placing in the second stage, Montenegro would also qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris next summer.
MATCHES OF MONTENEGRO AT THE WC
Friday, 10.45am
Mexico - Montenegro
Sunday, 10.45h
Montenegro - Egypt
Tuesday, 14.30
Montenegro - Lithuania
Bonus video:
