Vukovi Zeta want to be stable first league players

The basketball club Vukovi Zeta secured survival in the First Montenegrin Basketball League last season, and this season it is ready to continue on that path and be a stable participant in the first league caravan.

Before the start of the season, there was a change in the club's bench, so the new coach will be the young and promising coach Vladimir Vuković, who recently received the important FIBA ​​coaching certificate.

Vuković has built his coaching experience in leading Montenegrin clubs – for the past two seasons he was a member of the coaching staff of SC Derbija, and was also on the coaching staff of Podgorica.

The club's management believes that Vuković, thanks to the knowledge and experience he has gained, is now ready to independently lead the team and help the club achieve its ambitious goals.

"The decision to start my first independent engagement at KK Vukovi Zeta was simple, because it is a young club with a clear ambition to grow year after year with local players. The backbone of the team from last season remained intact, with several experienced returnees and quality players, while the squad will be further strengthened with a few more reinforcements. In the season ahead, our goal is to continue to progress and develop as a team through diligent and quality work," said Vuković.

Vukovi Zeta have extended their cooperation with the captain and team leader from last season, Dražen Otašević, as well as Miljan Marinović, who was the fourth best scorer in the league with an average of 18 points. The contracts of key player Željko Matanović and the young hope of the club Vasilije Maraš, whose greater contribution is still expected, have also been extended.

The team was also strengthened with three new domestic players – Vladan Kaluđerović, MVP of the 2019/2020 season, former captain of Podgorica, who spent the previous two seasons in Teoda. He was a member of all the junior national teams of Montenegro. In addition to Kaluđerović, the 3x3 national team of Montenegro, Marko Raičević, and young basketball players Ognjen Stanković and Vladimir Ašanin arrived.

"After more than ten years spent away from my hometown, it feels special to be home again. I am even more happy that Zeta is returning to the Montenegrin basketball map and I believe that this is just the beginning of a beautiful journey. Our goal is to compete in regional competitions in the coming years, and I am convinced that with a clear vision from the management and the strong support of our fans, we can achieve great things. The season ahead is a challenge, but also an opportunity to show together how much Zeta can do," said Kaluđerović.

Raičević built his experience playing for the former club Zeta 2011, then five seasons at Leotar from Trebinje, where he became the club's first "foreign" captain. After Leotar, Raičević returned to Montenegro and played for Milenijum from Podgorica.

"For me, the decision to join KK Vukovi Zeta has a special meaning, because it is a club from my hometown, where I grew up and fell in love with basketball. I have been following their progress since the club was founded, and I am extremely pleased that they are getting better and better every year. I expect this season to be full of challenges, but I believe that, as a team, we will manage to achieve good results and thus continue to grow and progress," Raičević emphasized.

Stanković is a promising basketball player whose time is yet to come. Covering the positions three and four, Stanković began his career in the club's pioneer team, then played for SC Derbi, and later for Podgorica, where he won the title of cadet champion of Montenegro. The club also received Vladimir Ašanin, a young, promising power forward, who will certainly bring additional quality and fighting spirit to the Vukovi.

The club's management announces several more key reinforcements "which will further strengthen the team and increase the competitiveness of the Vukovi."

"The ambition is clear - the club wants to be a stable member of the Montenegrin basketball elite and at the same time a serious candidate for appearances in regional competitions. The focus is on creating a team that combines youth and experience, with the clear goal of achieving top results and long-term stability," the club said.

Vukovi's sports and coordination manager, Vladimir Lukačević, says:

"Last year's experience taught us to start forming the team this season as soon as the previous one ended. To our satisfaction, and in line with the philosophy we are pushing for – to have as many players from Zeta as possible – we succeeded 70 percent. As reinforcements, we brought in our Zeta players – Raičević and Kaluđerović – as well as the young Stanković, and with them Ašanin, and as things stand now, as many as XNUMX% of the team will be Zeta players. Everything is being done according to plan – in parallel with the formation of the team, we are also investing effort at all levels in order to improve the work of the club, which in the coming years, with the support of the municipality and the local community, will show that it is capable of reaching a higher level than the Montenegrin league."

Finally, the club president, Srđan Radonjić, concludes:

"Since taking over KK Vukovi Zeta, we have been guided by a clear vision - to put Zeta back on the basketball map of Montenegro and the region, and to provide our young players with space for development and affirmation. A year of hard work is behind us, and even greater challenges lie ahead. By entering the first league elite, we clearly show that we are ready for the long haul and that we want to be a stable club, with local players as the backbone and experienced returnees as leaders, as well as promising players that our management has recognized from other local communities. We are especially pleased that an increasing number of Zeta residents are returning to their area and their club, because we believe that this is where our greatest strength lies. With the support of the municipality, local community and our loyal fans, we are certain that we can achieve ambitious goals and achieve results that will make everyone in Zeta proud."