When the draw for the Mundobasket was held at the end of April, it was suspected that Montenegro could play the United States in the second phase.
And in order for that duel to happen at all, it was necessary for Boško Radović's team to win one of the first two places in group D in the first phase and ensure the continuation of the competition.
In competition with Mexico, Egypt and Lithuania, our basketball players recorded two wins and a loss, won a historic ranking among the 16 best in the world, which guarantees qualification for the Olympic Games, while the reward was a meeting with the Americans.
The United States of America is the first rival in the second phase. The match is scheduled for tomorrow (10.40, broadcast on TV Vijesti), and the selector says that the preparation for this match was easy.
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"We, after a bad offensive night against Lithuania, reduced our chances for the quarterfinals. But, while there is a chance, we will play. We have two games - against the United States of America and Greece. We will try to play two good games. As for the match with America - we are playing against the best national team in the world. They, along with Canada, play the best basketball in the championship. They are not the top of the NBA, but they are basketball players who play important roles in their teams. A big thing for us, the first game against the USA in history, and that at the World Cup. We got ready," said Radović in the announcement of the match.
The USA, as expected, recorded three victories in the first phase.
"USA is physically perhaps the best team in the championship. We will have to spend a lot of energy, primarily in defense, to stop their shots. They play serious basketball offensively. As for defense, tactical preparation is much easier than against the previous three opponents. They they play simply, they have four or five moves. With those four or five moves, with their great talent and quality, they make a difference. There is a lot of one-on-one play. They don't need many moves to find their way to the basket. Both the coaching staff and "It is much easier for me to prepare this game than the others. We are playing with the best team in the world," said Radović.
Montenegro will play against Greece on Sunday (10.40).
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