Serbia – Finland 77:61 (17:20, 19:14, 22:17, 19:10)

In the first game of the first window of the qualification for the EuroBasket in 2025, the Serbian national team won against Finland with a score of 77:61 in the packed “Aleksandar Nikolic” arena.

The second game of the first window for our national team will be played on Monday, February 26, at 6:00 PM in Tbilisi against Georgia, which lost tonight as a guest to Denmark 69:75.

The match started at an extremely intense pace, with many mistakes on both sides. Guduric scored the first points for Serbia, a three-pointer after two and a half minutes of play, and the guests took the lead 8:3 a minute later. Our players’ shots weren’t working well, and in the sixth minute, the score was 5:13. Our guys reduced it to 14:15 after Avramovic’s three-pointer and then took the lead for the first time with Marinkovic’s three-pointer – 17:15.

The score was equal in the second quarter; teams alternated in minimal leads. Serbia took the lead 30:26 after Davidovac’s “2+1” in the 17th minute. At halftime, Coach Pesic’s selected players went with a score of 36:34.

 

The third quarter started in the same rhythm, with the Finns being solid in defense, punishing our misses. After three and a half minutes and a 14:3 series, they took a significant lead of 48:39. Coach Pesic had to call a timeout, after which our team finally woke up, responded with a 9:0 series, and equalized in the 27th minute – 48:48. We took the lead again with four consecutive points from Petrusev and a dunk from Avramovic – 56:51, going into the last break with a score of 58:51.

Beslac opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, bringing us the first double-digit lead (61:51). The Finns’ shots faltered, and our team smartly punished that, raising the lead to “plus 14” in the 32nd minute – 65:51. The guests reduced it to 57:67 halfway through this quarter, but Avramovic continued to dominate, and the result was under control. Guduric raised it to 71:57, and excellent captain Mitrovic, from the free-throw line, to 72:57 with two and a half minutes remaining, practically sealing the deal.

Statements:

Luka Mitrovic:

“It was a very tough game, as we expected. The beginning of the qualifications is such that surprises are always possible. Finland started excellently, but when we adjusted to their game, we gained control and eventually won. It’s a great honor to be the captain of the national team. There is indeed a special bond among the guys who won medals. I easily fit in and didn’t interfere too much so as not to spoil anything…”

Svetislav Pesic:

“It’s always challenging against a team that plays team basketball, very good in transition. It’s difficult to read their defense. As always, the third quarter was crucial; that’s when we realized how to play against a team that runs a lot. We found the rhythm, changed it. In the first half, Luka Mitrovic was key, and in the second, Filip Petrusev. This was a very important game for us to win. We got two new players, Dusan and Nikola. They officially played for the national team for the first time. Everyone knows that we will play only two games before we start preparing for the Olympic Games, so it would be important to see what we have at our disposal for that tournament. The players showed talent and readiness to play for the national team. I came here in November 2021 when only 1,500 people watched us against Latvia, and look now. Obviously, these guys have done something… A lot has changed in basketball; you see how long the seasons last. The Olympic Games start on July 27, and the guys need a bit of rest, but we also need to train a bit. I talk to the players, train them through presence, try to help them. I wish them to use this period to become better players. I know you wonder, but basketball is played in Denmark and Finland too. We won many medals in the past, but everyone is progressing. It is a big challenge for us to play against Georgia to see what we can do, to see if we can win there too…”