Serbian U20 Men’s National Team , players up to 20 years , won the first place and gold medal on the European Championship that was held in Lignano ( Italy) . The players selected by the Head Coach Vladimir Djokic in their final game defeated excellent national team of Spain who , like Serbia , reached final game after nine triumphs in a row during the Championship. Our youth national team , that was handicapped as Marko Tejic was injured, patiently waited for the opportunity they had at the end of the third quarter when they acquired key advantage preserved through brave and collective game until the very end of the game: Serbia- Spain 70:64 ( 20:21, 17:15, 16:9, 17:19)
National team of Spain was better at the beginning of the game . Rival had the control over the jump, scored two three point field goals and in the fourth minute acquired advantage – 4:12. Our team, although weaken as Marko Tejic did not play because of the injury , answered with the series of 6:0 initiated by energetic Ognjan Jaramaz and combative Dragan Apic. Excelen Mark Garcia scored another three pints field goals by the end of the first quarter, but Nikola Rebic was precise behind the 6,75 line, so that the rival has minimal advantage after first ten minutes of the game for gold medal – 20:21. Serbia reached first advantage in final 28:26 in 15th minute after three point field goals by Rade Zagorac and two explosive solo forwards by Marko Guduric. After that there was a slight decline in Djokic’s team, partially caused by referees’ strange decisions, but Jaramaz preserved Serbia’s advantage -34:33 ( 18th minute) , that was kept till the end of the first half -36:35.
First points in the second half were scored by motivated Dragan Apic who soon reported some pains in his back , and had to leave the game for a while, so that Head Coach Djokic had less tall players at disposal. Although , all problems gave more motivation to our team that continued in hard rhythm particularly in defensive actions. Serbian players managed to limit rival’s score to nine points in third quarter, and Nikola Rebic and Ognjen Jaramaz with their three points field goals, at the end of the 30th minute, provide capital advantage – 53:45. Only then our team begun to play, followed by Marko Guduric’s three point field goal and Jaramaz’s serial of eight goals, secured the first two- figure advantage – 64:52 ( 34th minute). In the next offense Rade Zagorac scored a goal behind the 6,75 line, the winning cup was within the reach for Serbian basketball players. But the hardest part was ahead of our U20 team, because Spanish basketball players went for all or bust and , in only 56 seconds, managed . to lower the core to 67:64. And in these moments players selected by the Head Coach Vladimir Djokic showed why they deserve the European champion title . Dejan Davidovac came to the gold value jume in offense, and Marko Guduric 11 seconds before time ran out scored point from almost impossible position and the result was 69:64. Desperate attempt by rivals ended in Davidovac’s forward foul , and he was honored to reach the final result – 70:64 .
SERBIA: Rebic 9 ( 4 jumps) , Zagorac 11 ( 7jumps) Guduric 14 (6 jumps), Rakicevic, Apic 9 ( 8 jumps , 2 assist) Babovic, Jaramaz 19 ( 10 jumps) Davidovac 7 ( 5 jumps) , Bursac, Kaplanovic 1, Salic, Tejic
SPAIN: Alonso, Martini 7, Abalde 4, Sans 4, Moix 2, Garcia 17, Martinez, Guarrero, sima, Noques 6, Hernangomez 18, Diop 6.
MARKO GUDURIC MVP
Serbian Basketball National player Marko Guduric was voted MVP of the European Championshoip in Lignano. Guduric was selected in the best five players of the Championship, which , according to the votes of the all head coaches of 20 teams participating in the tournament, was our playmaker , Nikola Rebic, too.
Beside Guduric and Rebic among the best five players of the tournament are Emmanuel Lecomte ( Belgium) , Juan Hernangemez ( Spain) and Emircan Kosut ( Turkey)