Advertisement

Young Serbian Basketballers Begin European Title Quest: Here's Where to Watch Serbia vs. Iceland

The young women's national basketball team plays their first European Championship match in Lithuania against Iceland on Saturday.
Advertisement

The premier European selections will gather from July 4th to 12th in Alytus and Klaipėda. Ana Joković, Vice President of the Basketball Federation of Serbia (KSS) for women's basketball, will accompany the national team to the European Championship. Ahead of the tournament, head coach Miloš Pavlović offered his analysis of the group.

Advertisement
Italy is definitely the favorite in our group. In recent years, they've consistently been at the top across all age levels. Poland boasts significant size. They play well, and their entire starting five, along with their coach, comes from the same club. This is a distinct advantage in tournaments like this, as their constant togetherness allows for much broader tactical possibilities. We have good intelligence on these two teams. The uncertainty lies with Iceland, our opening opponent, as they haven't traveled or played any matches beyond local club games. It's crucial that we start the tournament on the right foot. The competition format dictates that the fourth game is the most critical, as it separates the top eight teams from the bottom eight, determining whether we contend for the title or fight to avoid relegation. We have no room for calculations; we'll approach every game with maximum effort. Miloš Pavlović

Pavlović also faced challenges with players withdrawing from the squad.

Without diminishing anyone's quality or making excuses, we are missing quite a few players. We encountered numerous problems, including withdrawals just two days before preparations began, primarily due to players heading to America, and then also due to injuries. From the initial extended roster, 11 players are absent. We had a narrowed selection pool, but the girls who have been here from day one have worked with full seriousness and dedication, and the 12 who are traveling have absolutely earned their spots. We have our goals, and we will channel our strength, experience, and focus to build confidence through the group stage, which is essential for the rest of the competition. Miloš Pavlović
Advertisement

Serbia will play all three group stage matches in Alytus. Their first opponent is Iceland on Saturday, July 4th, at 5 PM. The following day, Serbia faces Italy at 2:30 PM, and after a rest day, their rival on Tuesday, July 7th, at 5 PM is Poland. The following players are traveling to the European Championship: Nastja Bulović, Valentina Zarić, Jana Vesić, Minja Aranđelović, Imana Ćosović, Lana Mikeš, Tara Dacić, Lana Marić, Anđela Petković, Sofija Todorović, Aleksandra Aleksić, and Mia Bikicki.

Where to watch the live TV broadcast?

You can follow the match between Serbia and Iceland on the FIBA YouTube channel. If you're unable to watch the game on screen, you can also follow the match on Sportal.

VIDEO "Basketball is for Girls!" Sonja Vasić and Tina Krajišnik draw pairs for the "Milan Ciga Vasojević" Cup semi-finals, then present an excellent KSS and FIBA project.

Advertisement
Loading discussion…

Signing in with Google...