Perfect opening in Mexico City - Montenegro flew over New Zealand at the start of the fight for Mundobasket

With a convincing victory (88:64), our basketball players began their performance at the pre-qualification tournament for the World Championship and took a big step towards the semi-finals in Mexico City

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Celebration of Sofije Živaljević and her friend against New Zealand, Photo: FIBA

Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

20.08.2024. 08:19h

There were many unknowns before the historic battles for Mundobasket, but the first one was solved perfectly and immediately showed that Montenegrin basketball players did not arrive in Mexico City just to fill the number of participants...

Jelena Škerović's team couldn't have wished for a better start to the pre-qualifications for the World Cup - our national team "destroyed" New Zealand 1:88 in the 64st round of Group B.

The first rival in the Olympic hall, "Juan de la Barrera", held on until the middle of the second quarter, and already in the third, our ladies took a crucial step towards their first victory, towards a place in the semi-finals of the tournament in Mexico...

Women's basketball team of Montenegro — photo: FIBA

From the first minute of the first game against a selection outside of Europe, it was somehow clear that Montenegro was the better team, and even when New Zealand, after the initial lead of the "reds" (14:8) with a 9:0 series at the start of the second quarter, managed to turn (21:16).

However, last night the great Bojana Kovačević hit a three-pointer in a difficult moment, Dragana Živković and captain Milica Jovanović also played, so Montenegro took the lead again in the 15th minute (26:25), and soon went to plus seven (33: 26).

Already at the start of the second half, it was clear that no one could stop Jelena Škerović's girls on their way to another victory...

Montenegro opened the third quarter with 9:0, so after Maja Bigović's point the scoreboard showed 44:32, and after Marija Leković's baskets and a huge plus 17 (53:36), Sofija Živaljević led our team to the 61:40... Bojana Kovačević (66:45) put the victory point already in that part with five tied points...

Jovana Pašić and Bojana Kovačević during the match with New Zealandphoto: FIBA

At the end of the big plus 24, they may play a key role when the issue of placement in the semi-finals is decided.

The most effective in our selection was Bojana Kovačević with 18 points (with seven rebounds and four assists), Maja Bigović added 16, Dragana Živković 11, Milica Jovanović 10, and Anastasija Drobnjak and Sofija Živaljević nine each.

On the other side, Penina Davidson and Ritora Tamilo scored 11 points each.

The two best selections from the two groups in Mexico City will advance to the semi-finals, and only the winner of the pre-qualifications will continue the dream of Mundobasket.

Schedule: Montenegro - New Zealand 88:64, Montenegro - Mozambique (Wednesday to Thursday, 1.30) and Montenegro - Mexico (Thursday to Friday, 4.30).

MONTENEGRO - NEW ZEALAND 88:64 (16:14, 21:18, 29:15, 22:17)

Mexico City - Hall "Juan de la Barrera". Spectators: 50. Judges: Straube (Germany), Johnson (USA) and Jiang (Canada).

Montenegro: Kovačević 18, Živaljević 9, Pašić 7, VUKČEVIĆ, Radonjić, ŽIVKOVIĆ 11, Ilić, Bigović 16, Šćepanović 2, LEKOVIĆ 6, DROBNJAK 9, JOVANOVIĆ 10.

Novi Zeland: Flever 3, Hiter 5, DAVIDSON 11, MEKGOLDRIK 4, Tofaeno 4, Tamilo 11, L. VITEKER, Rid 9, Strowbridge, FOTU 2, DEJL 8, Š. Viteker 7.