A rejuvenated team, new coaches and a new era, but this kind of defeat was not expected - the Portuguese beat Montenegro by 21 points

A heavy defeat for Montenegrin basketball players in the opening match of the World Basketball Championship qualifiers - Portugal celebrated in the "M:tel Morača Hall" with 83:62.

Our team opened the game well, won the first quarter 21:14, stopped their rivals with strong defense, but that was all Andrej Žakelj's team could do tonight.

At the beginning of the second period, the Portuguese changed their defense, moving to the zone, and our team hit the wall - the guests went on a 13:0 run, and went into the break with a seven-point lead - 39:32.

The start of the second half gave hope, but it was short-lived - after our 5:0 run and approaching minus two, the Portuguese opened the scoring with a 20:0 run!

The guests went to 59:37, made six three-pointers in the third quarter and everything was settled in Podgorica.

The rejuvenated Montenegrin team, which took to the court for the first time tonight with this lineup, did not have an answer to the game of a much more motivated opponent.

Our basketball players allowed too many open three-point shots to their rival, who knew how to punish them and ultimately achieved a secure triumph.

In the Montenegrin national team, Marko Simonović had 13 points and seven rebounds, Jovan Kljajić had 11 points and four steals, and Kendrick Perry had 10 points and six assists.

On the other hand, Travante Williams scored 16 points, while Ricardo Monteiro scored 13. Montenegro continues its World Basketball Championship qualifiers on Sunday with a visit to Romania.

That's it: The Portuguese defeated Montenegro in Podgorica at the start of the World Basketball Championship qualifiers with a convincing 83:62.

The Portuguese advantage grows to a maximum difference of 24 points (57:81).

Again the Portuguese make two three-pointers, the result says it all - 54:74.

Four consecutive points by Zoran Nikolić - 54:68.

Perry's three-pointer from eight meters (50:68).

The end of the third quarter, in which the Portuguese made six three-pointers. After 25:11 in the second, the guests won the third quarter 26:11.

A difficult task for Andrej Žakel's men in the last 10 minutes (43:64).

Finally, Montenegro gets points, Kljajić breaks the black streak with a three-pointer, but Lisboa responds in the same way (40:62).

Portugal's series 20:0! Montenegro loses by 22 points, Žakelj calls for a timeout.

Montenegro started the second half with a 5:0 run, the Portuguese responded with an even better one - 8:0. Williams hit his fourth three-pointer, the guests again have the maximum plus 10 (37:47).

Djordje Jovanovic's first points - a three-pointer fell "like a drop", Montenegro approaches a two-point deficit (37:39).

The second half has started.

Halftime at "Morača". Montenegro started well, but then at the start of the second quarter they had no solution to change the Portuguese defense, who switched to playing zone.

Our team was without points for almost six minutes, and without a field goal for seven and a half minutes. 

The Portuguese won the second quarter 25:11.

At halftime, the score was still a manageable 32:39.

Five points in a row from Jovan Kljajić, Montenegro closes in - 32:37.

Slavković scores for the first points from the field in the second quarter - it took the "reds" seven and a half minutes to do so (25:35)

A new mini-series by the Portuguese and a more tangible difference - 31:23. Montenegro still without a field goal in the second quarter.

Only in the sixth minute of the second quarter did Montenegro score a point, Simonović broke the post from the penalty line (23:27).

At the start of the second quarter, the Portuguese switched to zone defense, our team had no solution, five minutes without a basket. The guests made an 13:0 run and took the lead 27:21.

End of the first quarter: five points each from Danilo Ivanovic and Marko Simovic, four from Aleksa Ilić, three from Jovan Kljajić - Montenegro leads against Portugal 21:14.

Žakelj changed the entire starting lineup, and at the end of the first quarter, Ivanovic, Vučeljić, Jovanović, and Ilić Nikolić were on the floor. With five consecutive points from Danilo Ivanovic, our team reached 21:14.