Today is a free day at the World Basketball Championship, while tomorrow there are two quarter-final matches on the program, and Lithuania - Serbia (10.45 am) and Italy - USA (14.40 pm).
Germany - Latvia (10.30:14.30 a.m.) and Canada - Slovenia (XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.) will play on Wednesday.
Pešić: Against Lithuania, we have to play exceptionally in defense and attack
The coach of the Serbian national basketball team, Svetislav Pešić, said today that his team must play outstandingly in both defense and attack against Lithuania, i.e. play the best game in the tournament so far, in order to win in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
"Against Lithuania, it is necessary to have an extraordinary defense and an extraordinary attack, so tomorrow we have to play one of our best games that we have played so far in order to be able to win," said Pešić, as reported by the Basketball Federation of Serbia.
On Sunday, Serbia defeated the Dominican Republic (112:79) and placed among the top eight.
"The entire World Cup is an elimination. Even against the Dominican Republic, we had no right to make a mistake. Such is the system of the competition. Every game is important. We fought to win, there is no preparation here. Here, the game is prepared, the boys train, the coaching staff comes out in front of the players , conveys the opponent's weaknesses, defines the tactics. It is a process that lasts and prepares for every game," said Pešić.
He praised the team's performance and said that against the Dominican Republic they showed team play and chemistry, but that against such a team, it is enough to play "good defense and an average attack to win the game."
"If we see that there were 30 assists, then that should be said... It's not a performance, it's the basketball we want to play. Now, against Lithuania, it won't be enough, because they will have to play both in defense and attack, to some balance is found. We are playing against a physically very strong opponent, who bases his game above all on solid, physically strong defense. They play very aggressively, both on the outside players and on the inside players," said Pešić.
Maksvitis: Serbia will not welcome us with a red carpet
Kazis Maksvitis, the head coach of the Lithuanian national basketball team, said today that his team did not have much time to celebrate after the great victory against the USA and pointed out that Serbia will certainly not welcome them with a red carpet in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
"We told the players in the locker room after the victory over the USA to celebrate briefly and to save their energy and emotions for the upcoming game against Serbia," Maksvitis said.
Lithuanian basketball players beat the USA yesterday (110:104) and thus took first place in Group J.
"The victory against the USA is one of the biggest in our careers, but there is no time to celebrate because Serbia is waiting for us. They will certainly not welcome us with flowers and a red carpet," said the Lithuanian coach.
The winner of this match will play in the semi-finals against the better team from the duel between Slovenia and Canada.
Bonus video:
