Serbia national team (Eurobasket 2011)

[rikhardur]

Radenovic still has Serbia dream

VALENCIA (EuroBasket 2011) - Anyone that watches Ivan Radenovic run up and down the floor for Menorca Basket in Spain's ACB will know just how difficult it is to earn a place in the Serbia national team squad.

Radenovic, who made his name as a big-time college player with the Arizona Wildcats in America, is a 2.08m power forward that runs the floor like a gazelle and can shoot it from anywhere.

On Sunday against Power Electronics Valencia, he gave the Euroleague team fits, especially in the first quarter when he scored eight of his 16 points in the game.

Menorca threatened to spring the upset at La Fonteta and led for three quarters but scored just seven points in the fourth and lost, 70-63.

With the setback, Menorca fell to 4-7 in the ACB.

Radenovic had a couple of costly turnovers in the fourth quarter but he had many more good moments than bad.

Last season, a teammate of Radenovic's at Cajasol Sevilla, Dusko Savanovic, parlayed a strong year in the ACB into a place in the Serbia squad and that was no easy feat when considering a young Serbia side had just captured silver at EuroBasket 2009.

"Hopefully it will happen someday," Radenovic said to FIBA.com.

"I hope.

"It's been my wish since I was a kid so hopefully it's going to happen one day.

"But you get like 20 players at top level and you have to compete with them for those 12 spots in the team."

For now, Radenovic is trying to develop into a top player in the ACB and help Menorca become a winning team.

"The fourth quarter is costing us in a lot of games," Radenovic said.

"We just can't keep our focus for 40 minutes.

"We've got to work on that."

Radenovic said there was a bright side to Sunday.

"I told my teammates that most of the top teams that we played in this league, we lost by 20 points but this is the first game we stayed in it for 40 minutes," he said.

"We've got to build on this and play like this, especially on the road."

Radenovic couldn't stay out of the headlines when he played college basketball for Lute Olsen.

In one memorable game against Stanford, he scored 37 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had seven assists in a Wildcats win.

In that contest, the men to guard him were the Lopez brothers, Brook (New Jersey Nets) and Robin (Phoenix Suns).

He left America after the 2006-07 campaign and moved to Spain for the 2007-08 season where he was a teammate of Mark Gasol at Akasvayu Girona and reached the Final of the ULEB Cup.

The next season, he moved to Panellinios in Greece and then followed that with a big move to Euroleague powerhouse CSKA Moscow.

That switch didn't go so well.

CSKA couldn't get him playing time so he returned to Spain to play for Joan Plaza at Cajasol Sevilla and then decided to leave for Menorca this summer.

"This has been a perfect fit for me this year," he said.

"The team is built really well, I'm playing with very good teammates and we work very hard and I hope that we're going to be successful."

Radenovic, who came through the youth ranks at Partizan Belgrade like so many other Serbian greats, might have turned professional earlier had he not gone to America.

It's a choice that many players make.

He has no regrets.

"I've been having a great career since college," he said.

"Last year I had a little bit of turbulence in my career, moving from one team to another.

"I moved to Sevilla and it was difficult for me to move from one team to another in the middle of the season.

"I never experienced that.

“I guess it was a good experience and now I'm better for having gone through it."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/new...5422/arti.html

[rikhardur]

Bodiroga Worried Serbia Will Suffer Without Ivkovic

Serbian basketball great Dejan Bodiroga admits the country's national team is facing an uncertain future following Dusan Ivkovic's decision to step down as coach on Monday.

Bodiroga, who played on the former Yugoslavia gold-medal winning sides at the EuroBaskets in 1995, 1997 and 2001, and at the 1998 and 2002 FIBA World Championships, said to Basketball World News:

"News about Ivkovic's decision really caught me by surprise.

"I'm not familiar with the background of the story, so I can only speak about what I've heard, that Ivkovic stepped down as head coach.

"And all I can say is - it's not good.

"It's not good for Serbian basketball, at all."

Ivkovic guided Serbia to a first-place finish in their qualifying group for EuroBasket 2009 and then once in the Final Round, he led the team into the title game where they fell to Spain.

Last summer, Ivkovic and Serbia knocked out defending champions Spain in the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA World Championship before losing to Turkey in the last four and then to Lithuania in the bronze-medal game.

"It's shame to lose such an expert, especially in the middle of the Olympics' four-year cycle," Bodiroga said.

"Our senior national team will suffer the most because of that."

Bodiroga, meanwhile, was asked if he's interested in any way in the forthcoming elections in the Serbian Basketball Association.

"I would rather not comment on that at this point," he said.

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_tm6KD...leMode_on.html

[rikhardur]

Pešić is all for a young coach at the helm of the national team

[rikhardur]

Dušan Ivković could remain with the NT.
http://www.zurnal.rs/2011/03/13/eksk...tor/index.html

[Tesla]

Mad dunk by Keselj, Serbia V Australia...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHsbXMHss00

[pep]

As we all know, all the members of tha Serbian NT are playing abroad..

..well, "playing" is an optimistical way to put it, since for whatever reasons, their season is been awful so far: Keselj, Bjelica, Tepic, Macvan, Perovic, Velickovic, Tripkovic.. some of them aren´t even seeing any playing time.

What would you do, call all of them back again?

Personally, after last year´s absence, I would call back Miroslav Raduljica (if his game in Berlin proves he´s recovered from his injury) and maybe Milicic. And I would call for the first time Nedovic (but he wouldn´t be having much playing time this first year) and Cakarevic. I think he (Cakarevic) is proving he´s versatil enough to help in both the 2 and 3 spot.

[wardjdim]

First we need to know if Duda will be back

As for the roster, there is so much depth that there is no need to hurry. Serbia is a top-3 team, even if all the WC roster is out this summer

[serbianhoops]

First we need to know if Duda will be back

As for the roster, there is so much depth that there is no need to hurry. Serbia is a top-3 team, even if all the WC roster is out this summer

Duda will be back. Everybody knows it in Serbia. We are only waiting for the new basketball federation president Djilas (who is also major of Belgrade) to be officially in charge and the deal will be made public. The tragedy is that it will cost us 300.000 euros, which consequently means that junior league won't be held next season. I would like Djilas to find new sponsors to keep the junior league alive but the current economic situation is disastrous. So, I'm pessimistic about that. That's why, I would prefer a cheaper coach to take the team. I like Miroslav Nikolic coaching style. He tactically killed Partizan yestersday with his game plans & subsitutions.

We don't have margin over other teams anymore. Without WC roster we aren't medal contenders.

As we all know, all the members of tha Serbian NT are playing abroad..

..well, "playing" is an optimistical way to put it, since for whatever reasons, their season is been awful so far: Keselj, Bjelica, Tepic, Macvan, Perovic, Velickovic, Tripkovic.. some of them aren´t even seeing any playing time.

What would you do, call all of them back again?

Personally, after last year´s absence, I would call back Miroslav Raduljica (if his game in Berlin proves he´s recovered from his injury) and maybe Milicic. And I would call for the first time Nedovic (but he wouldn´t be having much playing time this first year) and Cakarevic. I think he (Cakarevic) is proving he´s versatil enough to help in both the 2 and 3 spot.

I don't think all of them will make the final cut. Ivkovic can help one or two players without playing time with their clubs to came back to life during training camp and friendly games, but not a whole bunch of players. For me, the roster isn't the main matter. The most important is to have a coach who knows how to use player abilities. I want to see Nedovic (190 1991) in team too. But as starting shooting guard. He is an average shooter but with his quickness allows him to be a real nightmare in isolation plays. About Cakarevic, I don' think he will make the team. He will more likely be with the U24 team at the university games in Shenzhen. I would select Milicic over Perovic because he is able to contain every inside european player.

My 18 player wide list
Krstic - Milicic - Raduljica - Perovic - Savanovic - Erceg - Macvan - Velickovic - Keselj - Bjelica - Milutinovic - Tepic - Paunic - Tripkovic - Rasic - Teodosic - Markovic - Nedovic

[wardjdim]

I don't care if he is in shape or not, if he is benched in Madrid or if he will leave his team in the summer. Velickovic is a key guy for this team and can do so many things for Ivkovic. Duda is a very smart coach. He likes guys who can play multiple positions (Savanovic, Macvan, Velickovic) up front, so I woule doubt that he isn't in this summer

[serbianhoops]

Velickovic wasn't in rhythm at the World Championship after a correct fisrt season in Madrid. But now, his playing time is even slighter and he is mostly used as small forward. Luckily for him, he is our best defender on the PF position. But I'm not convince that he can contribute like he did in 2009.

[pep]

I don't care if he is in shape or not, if he is benched in Madrid or if he will leave his team in the summer. Velickovic is a key guy for this team and can do so many things for Ivkovic. Duda is a very smart coach. He likes guys who can play multiple positions (Savanovic, Macvan, Velickovic) up front, so I woule doubt that he isn't in this summer

I agree, I would repeat with those 3, or at least 2 of them.

As for the rest.. Keselj, Bjelica and Tepic are having a frustrating season (even though I have to admit that the same happened with Teodosic in his first year in Greece, but Duda kept trusting him), and, even if serbianhoops knows much more about Serbian basket than I do, I don´t see what good could come from having Paunic or Milutinovic in the team. That´s why I suggested Cakarevic.

To finish, I have a question: I´ve watched many games of Metalac. Ljubicic has been a pleasant surprise, but Bircevic has been a disappointment so far. I think he has the physical tools and is talented enough to be a great player. What´s wrong with him? is it lack of confidence or of IQ?

[rikhardur]

SRB – Ivkovic to be volunteer coach of Serbia

BELGRADE (EuroBasket 2011) - The reward of knowing he tried to help his country stay among the elite in Europe is apparently all Dusan Ivkovic needs to coach Serbia’s national team.

The veteran tactician decided recently to continue leading Serbia, something that was confirmed after Belgrade major Dragan Djilas was elected as the president of the Serbian Basketball Association (KSS).

After being named as the new supremo of the sport in Serbia, Djilas said the financially-strapped KSS wouldn't be able to make good on outstanding payments to Ivkovic, who has steered the club to EuroBasket 2009 silver and a fourth-place finish at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

"I've told Mr. Djilas, when he informed me that he'd be a candidate for KSS's presidency, that if he really did that - he could count on me," Ivkovic said.

"It's an honor and pleasure for me to lead our national team.

"During my 1992-1995 stint at the helm of our national team, I worked without any payment for that job.

"And I'll do the same even now. That will be my modest contribution in these tough times."

As for the veteran tactician's announcement two months ago that he would not be able to coach the national side, Ivkovic said: "I never officially resigned. It wasn't like 'I'm quitting', I was just trying to make something like a wake-up call for the KSS.

"In fact, my contract expired in July 2010, but no one noticed.

"It isn't easy for me to speak about it now, but the most important thing is that I'll continue to work as head coach of Serbia."

Serbia will be in Group B of the EuroBasket in Lithuania with Israel, France, Italy, Latvia and Germany, a team that upset them in the Preliminary Round last summer in Turkey.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/new...6498/arti.html

[rikhardur]

Macvan, Serbia Ready To Dazzle

Serbia's production line is as efficient as it always was. Older players may retire but there is always youth to take its place.

At just 21, Milan Macvan has already experienced a final and two semi-finals on the international stage.

Frighteningly for the rest of Europe, he is not alone. The country's current crop, still fresh-faced, has plenty of time to mature and engineer one triumph after another over the next decade.

Two years ago in Poland, few saw the Serbs coming in the rear view mirror. Their teenage stars had won the U19 World Championship in 2007 and claimed the U18 European Championship title barely 12 months later.

Arriving at the EuroBasket, we thought that they were still too young for the top level. They were not ready to match the very best. How wrong we all were.

As exciting as they were effective, Serbia rolled all the way to the final only to lose to a Spanish team whom they had stunned in the opening round.

A new force dawned. Heading to the FIBA World Championship in Turkey last summer, and reaching the semi-finals, only enhanced their collective reputation.

Macvan admits that expectations in Lithuania at Eurobasket 2011 - with Dusan Ivkovic again as head coach - will be high. But do not believe all the hype, he asks.

"It will not be as easy as two years ago," the 21-year-old forward states.

"For sure, people will be expecting us to be good again. And the other teams will have some big players who didn't play in Poland. We will have a few new players from last summer.

"But we have our old coach back which is going to help us. He has so much experience. He can still teach us new things. He has been to so many major championships and I think with a young team, that is important."

Ivkovic, the wily veteran, is a valuable mentor for the young Serbs. The Olympiakos head coach had initially announced his intention to step down from the role last year.

Then he relented. 16 years after he vacated the post in charge of Yugoslavia following their triumph in EuroBasket 1995, he remains hungry for success.

It will forge a potent combination with his rising stars.

Macvan - having tasted disappointment with Maccabi Tel Aviv in this season's Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final - says his country will have ample motivation to take the next step.

First up is a group which contains Latvia, Italy, France, Germany and Israel. And there is also a prize of a spot at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

"I dream about playing in the Olympics," Macvan reveals.

"It is something I always wanted to do. But first we have to get through the EuroBasket. It is a hard group. Dirk Nowitzki will play for Germany and he is an amazing player. I know a lot of the Israel team from Maccabi and I think they will be strong. France and Italy have NBA players. It is not going to be easy."

Serbia is a union of young spirits. Nenad Krstic, the Boston Celtics centre apart, their core squad has grown as one, with players such as Milenko Tepic and Milos Teodosic emerging together into the limelight, each supporting and pushing the other.

"We are a really tight group," Macvan underlines.

"We keep in touch a lot during the season by email. You have all the 12 guys from the U19 World Championship who are all still young and we all get on really well together.

"Stefan Markovic is one of my best friends. We call each other a lot, not to talk just about basketball. If one of us has a problem, we can pick each other up. We've known each other since we were in the same junior team. It helps to have that friend on the team because in the summer especially, you are away for a long time. And we understand what we are going through."

They made mistakes in Istanbul when the opportunity to play for the world title was in their grasp. Wiser, readier, hungrier, could Serbia's time to tower above Europe have arrived?

"I think we are one of the teams who can win it, for sure, but we will need to keep improving. Last year in Turkey, we came fourth and we were really disappointed that we didn't get a medal. So we will see."

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_zznEU...leMode_on.html

[Bojan]

Ivković's resign is terrible loss. but we still have Miličić, Krstić, Perović, Teodosić, Mačvan, Veličković, Savanović, Rakočević... Dream team.

Rašić, Marković, Paunić, Tripković, Tepić, Bjelica, Kešelj will have to fight for their place in NT

I hope Aleksandar Džikić would be appointed as new coach. We need new blood, we could not always rotate Pešić, Ivković and Obradović on that post.

[Tesla]

Ivkovic is a big loss. I'm still hoping he will be recalled now that the federation president is being changed. It doesn't have to be too much of a big loss though considering we have many other great coaches. I'd be satisfied if Nikolic came in.

[Tesla]

I still can't help thinking that if Maric played for Serbia instead of Australia at the last world championships we would have clearly been in the final. The biggest whol in the team for me was Kosta Perovic. If we can replace him with Milicic and keep the rest, maybe add Rakocevic I'll be feeling positive.