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  • Serbia national team 2013

    Ivkovic To Continue With Serbia

    Dusan Ivkovic is to remain as the coach of Serbia at least until 2013, the president of country's Basketball Association (KSS) Dragan Djilas announced on Thursday.

    Djilas recently travelled to Athens to meet with the veteran coach, who led Serbia to a silver medal at EuroBasket 2009 and to a fourth-place finish at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

    Ivkovic did not have success this summer at the EuroBasket in Lithuania, with the Blues didn't achieve a top-six finish to book a place at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, but the federation has convinced him to remain in charge.

    "We didn't have any dilemmas about our wish to keep Ivkovic as our head coach," Djilas said.

    "The KSS management has a firm attitude that coach, whoever he is, can't lose our support just because of one, single disappointment.

    "Yes, we wanted a better result from our senior team in 2011, but we can't and won't forget Ivkovic's past results and his huge contribution to Serbian basketball."

    Ivkovic has been coaching for a long time and everyone wondered if would want to continue because of his age.

    "There was not a clear doubt, just a question - since Ivkovic is 68-years-old - is the age problem for him to continue to work as Serbian head coach," Djilas said.

    "But, if he can successfully lead one great club as Olympiacos is, there's no doubt he can be at the helm of our national team."

    As part of his new contract, Ivkovic will guide Serbia in their qualifying campaign for EuroBasket 2013, which is to be held in Slovenia.

    They will take on Israel, Montenegro, Estonia, Slovakia and Iceland.

    "As KSS, we are here to provide everything that our national team needs to reach its goals," Djilas said.

    "Yes, we want to play at EuroBasket 2013 and, yes, we want a great result in Slovenia.

    "We have quality, and I know we have and will have support from our fans, and, our players, too.

    "In fact, every single player that represented Serbia at the FIBA European Championship 2011 in Lithuania confirmed his participation in the forthcoming qualifications."

    Serbia won their first four games at the EuroBasket but then lost in overtime to France.

    They lost six of their last seven games and ended up eighth.

    On Sunday, before Ivkovic had been confirmed publically as the Serbia coach, he looked ahead to the draw for the EuroBasket and played down the belief that his national team would be favorites to top their group.

    "The Italian experience can be used as an example," Ivkovic said.

    "They were favorites in our group back then in 2008, but they didn't qualify for the EuroBasket."
    Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
    Artificial Nature

  • #2
    To bad we will miss Olympics, but we have easy qualification group for Euro and i hope he will stay coach till then.
    This is the age we are currently living in, where war is peace, ignorance is strength and slavery is freedom.

    Comment


    • #3
      Bjelica Plays Hard And With Pride

      Nemanja Bjelica lights up like a Christmas tree when he's asked about his unveiling by the Minnesota Timberwolves at a press conference a couple of years ago.

      There he was, the NBA draft pick sitting on a stage and answering questions by an American media corps that knew very little about the tall, long player who had been making his mark in European ball and with Serbia's national side.

      "I was dreaming," the 2.09 m Bjelica said to Basketball World News.

      "I was so happy."

      While Bjelica, who turns 24 in May, has yet to play for the Timberwolves, don't be surprised if he does in the near future.

      The fact that other Europeans have done well with the team could help him.

      Performances by Montenegro's Nikola Pekovic and Spain's Ricky Rubio have helped the team blossom.

      Pekovic has been terrific in this, his second season.

      As for Rubio, the point guard was putting together an amazing rookie season but went down with a knee injury last month.

      The playmaker will come back, though, and Pekovic will continue to be a force.

      Bjelica would love to be a part of it.

      "Of course," he said.

      "Minnesota have a lot of European players and they play excellent, especially Pekovic and Rubio this year. They have proved they can play in the NBA.

      "The NBA is a dream for every player, but I'm here (Vitoria, Spain) now and my mind is only here.

      "After that, we'll see.

      "I hope that one day, I can play there."



      PLAYING IN SPAIN

      Bjelica is wearing the shirt of Caja Laboral and playing for one of the best coaches in the game in Dusko Ivanovic.

      While the tactician is demanding and often wears an unforgiving look during games, Bjelica said: "He's a very good coach, and a very good person.

      "He controls everything."

      The Liga Endesa play-offs are just around the corner and Bjelica wants to do his part in helping Caja Laboral challenge for another title.

      "I just hope that I will be healthy," he said.

      "That's the most important thing and after that, we'll see.

      "Everything depends on the coach. I will wait for my opportunity, practice very hard."



      PLAYING FOR SERBIA

      After the season, Bjelica will once again don the Serbia jersey, something he's done each year since 2009, when he helped the national team claim a surprise silver medal at the EuroBasket in Poland.

      The following year, he had a role in the Serbia team that went on an impressive run to the World Championship Semi-Finals in Turkey.

      Last year, he was with a Serbia side that came up short of the Semi-Finals.

      Representing his nation is something that Bjelica takes very seriously.

      "This is something else," he said.

      "I play for my country, my people - the place where I was born.

      "It's very important for me and for everyone who plays for Serbia."

      Bjelica is thrilled that coach Dusan Ivkovic has decided to continue with the team, too.

      His contract expired after last year's EuroBasket but the basketball federation was able to convince him to continue.

      "He stayed so we'll be much better, one year older," Bjelica said.

      "We just won't play at the Olympics.

      "But we want to improve our game this summer."

      Serbia will go up against Montenegro, Israel, Estonia, Iceland and the Slovak Republic in Group A.

      Fitness is key for Bjelica because he was hurt and missed the end of last season with Caja Laboral.

      He did not have an ideal build-up to EuroBasket 2011.

      "I didn't play for three months last year when I was hurt and the coach (Ivkovic) waited for me for one month," Bjelica said.

      "But I will be ready for this summer and the qualifications."
      Die Liebe wird eine Krankheit, wenn man sie als eine Heilung sieht
      Artificial Nature

      Comment


      • #4
        So what is everyone's ideal team for the upcoming qualifiers?

        Comment


        • #5
          Dragan Labovic answer to Ivkovic words

          "Sir Ivković, if you thought that I will not respond to your comment about the long celebrated birth of my child, you are sorely mistaken. I will answer you curtly, as my character dictates! I think it's natural to celebrate any new birth. I didn't celebrate it before the preparation but during the preparation, but I forgive you because you're an old man. My celebration isn't a real problem, because it only happened once. Ask about your players who celebrates almost every day while preparing for "big results".

          I would go back a little on the events of the 2008. year (editor's note: during qualifiers for Eurobasket 2009), when it all started. I was the best scorer of the Adriatic League and the best player of each possible competition I took part in, but at the time I had no place in your team consisting of players from 1 management agency (editor's note: Beobasket). In 2008, you raised the value of many who didn't deserve it, and I went down. 90 percent of them took millions through this action. Thank God I did it too, but without that action, and without that management agency and without you urging and calling throughout Europe because these players need to play!"

          "My opinion is that you are an unsuccessful coach. I think in general you're not a coach, but a basketball philosopher. To win 2 Euroleague titles, you spent 970 million euros."

          In the part of the letter that precedes the final quote, Labović indicates that Ivkovic should take advices from Obradovic about how to win trophies, and that players must be credited for Ivkovic's biggest successes with national team, not to his coaching staff.

          "I do not play for Real Madrid, nor for Barcelona, but during the last 3 years I spent more minutes on the court than 80 percent of your team. In your team, while you're at the helm, nothing will change - the ball will always be in Teodosic's hand and he will pass it to Krstic and so on during the whole game. Others players are like mascots on the court, or play the same role as mascots next to the court, not only in your team, but also in major European clubs! I suggest you continue walking Kalemegdan, read "Politika" (editor's note: a serbian newspaper), keep pigeons (editor's note: Ivkovic breeds pigeons)... I will continue to be obese and to play 25-30 minutes per game and earn money without your marketing. Thanks for reading and see you, I'm in a hurry my hookah is about to go out"
          Jordi Bertomeu sucks!

          Comment


          • #6
            I think we might have quite a nice team this season...
            PG's are standard- Teo and Markovic...not much of a Teo's fan, but it seems working with Messina this year made him think whether he will waste his talent or use it the right way...Markovic had another season in a strong team playing in the best league and also many games in Eurocup...these two being very compatible makes me have faith in them...i'd definitely invite Vasa Micic and Cvetkovic to train with the team as i firmly believe they have a great future, especially the first one

            SG- our weakest position...in the past few years we had Tepic, Rasic, Paunic, Tripkovic...but i'm not sure any of them deserve to be in the team this year...we might have a bit strange line up with Micov-Lucic-Bjelica covering positions 2-3-4 and i think this might be a very good solution and tough to defend... for those who didn't follow Serbian league, Pesic even used Bjelica as a PG when he started playing for Zvezda...also Nemanja Nedovic should be there and i'd give a chance (at least to train with them and get the experience) to Bogdan Bogdanovic...he has amazing physique and he might become a real diamond too...
            SF/PF...probably our strongest part of the team...Bjelica, Lucic, Micov, Savanovic, Erceg...if somehow Velickovic gets fully recovered and Macvan playing at PF too, i have no worries at all...
            Centers...captain Krstic...i'm sure we all have regrets for him and Milicic never played together...i remember them not getting along well even as youngsters playing for Partizan and Hemofarm...if Darko used half of his physique and talent and had Danilovic's mentality and desire for training and improving we could have had strongest centers duo in Europe... unfortunatelly, that will never happen...instead we'll probably have Rasko Katic as a back up center!? if somebody told me this is possible 6 months ago, i'd killed myself laughing...but this guy fully deserved a chance, way ahead of Perovic and some other guys... i've never watched Kuzmic, but i heard he might be a solution for the future... honestly,as a Partizan fan, i'm disappointed with Gagic and Musli even tho some people think Gagic is the future of our NT...i'd rather see Milutinov playing much more... and for those who don't know him, i suggest you remember that name...

            anyway, i guess our NT will look like this: Teo, Markovic, Nedovic, Micov, Bjelica, Lucic, Savanovic, Erceg, Macvan, Krstic, Katic + somebody on SG position

            p.s. having 4 guys playing together in possibly strongest European team should be a big advantage, especially knowing that Messina was sometimes having them on court at the same time (along with Weems)...which gave me a great idea, i think we should give Weems a Serbian nationality to cover that 12th place

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Ayrfon View Post
              I think we might have quite a nice team this season...

              (...)

              Centers...captain Krstic...i'm sure we all have regrets for him and Milicic never played together...i remember them not getting along well even as youngsters playing for Partizan and Hemofarm...if Darko used half of his physique and talent and had Danilovic's mentality and desire for training and improving we could have had strongest centers duo in Europe... unfortunatelly, that will never happen...instead we'll probably have Rasko Katic as a back up center!? if somebody told me this is possible 6 months ago, i'd killed myself laughing...but this guy fully deserved a chance, way ahead of Perovic and some other guys... i've never watched Kuzmic, but i heard he might be a solution for the future... honestly,as a Partizan fan, i'm disappointed with Gagic and Musli even tho some people think Gagic is the future of our NT...i'd rather see Milutinov playing much more... and for those who don't know him, i suggest you remember that name...

              anyway, i guess our NT will look like this: Teo, Markovic, Nedovic, Micov, Bjelica, Lucic, Savanovic, Erceg, Macvan, Krstic, Katic + somebody on SG position

              p.s. having 4 guys playing together in possibly strongest European team should be a big advantage, especially knowing that Messina was sometimes having them on court at the same time (along with Weems)...which gave me a great idea, i think we should give Weems a Serbian nationality to cover that 12th place
              Thanks for the post. Very interesting reading. A few notes:

              Is anyone in Serbia considering Dragan Milosavljevic for the SG/SF spots? I only saw him a couple of times this season with Partizan, but he impressed me a lot (physically very strong).

              All the sites I visited list Ognjen Kuzmic as Bosnian. Is he a Bosnian-Serb? Can he still choose to play for Serbia? Or I’m I making an ass of myself and you’re talking about another Kuzmic?

              Dejan Musli will probably be chosen ahead of Rasko Katic.

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks
                I totally forgot about him...Yes, i think he fully deserves to be a part of NT... he was very close in last year or two (13th or 14th player) but this year he really showed improvement, showed balls and knowing how Duda likes players with great defensive skills, his place should be sealed...
                also, Tadija Dragicevic is playing very good lately (last 3 games- 3 double-doubles)...

                there are two more guys who deserve a place but won't be there for different reasons...Igor Rakocevic is without any doubt our best SG but...also Rakovic is our 2nd center but i don't think we'll see him either

                i agree with you, Rasko is 33 and Duda will most likely take younger guys-Musli, Gagic...

                LOL we are talking about the same Kuzmic...i'm not sure about his origin and who will he choose to play for, i just heard some people from our basketball organization mentioning his name

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by JRS Bonnet View Post
                  Thanks for the post. Very interesting reading. A few notes:

                  Is anyone in Serbia considering Dragan Milosavljevic for the SG/SF spots? I only saw him a couple of times this season with Partizan, but he impressed me a lot (physically very strong).

                  All the sites I visited list Ognjen Kuzmic as Bosnian. Is he a Bosnian-Serb? Can he still choose to play for Serbia? Or I’m I making an ass of myself and you’re talking about another Kuzmic?

                  Dejan Musli will probably be chosen ahead of Rasko Katic.
                  Kuzmic is Serb from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He can still choose for who will he play. B&H defenetly wannt him, but I also herd Dusan Ivkovic contacted him
                  Jordi Bertomeu sucks!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I'm a big fan of yugoslavian basketball and european basketball in general, i have a question out of curiosity, why vladimir radmanovic, sasha pavlovic and darko milicic are not playing for serbia anymore?, don't you guys think that they still can be useful to the team?.
                    sigpic

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by tres equis View Post
                      I'm a big fan of yugoslavian basketball and european basketball in general, i have a question out of curiosity, why vladimir radmanovic, sasha pavlovic and darko milicic are not playing for serbia anymore?, don't you guys think that they still can be useful to the team?.
                      Vladimir Radmanovic last played for Serbia (actually, for Serbia-Montenegro) during the 2005 Eurobasket, an infamous tournament for the S&M NT: clan wars, diva-like behavior from several of the players, a shameful 9th place… Anyway, after those incidents, some players were never again invited to represent Serbia, one of them being Radmanovic. Maybe some IBN Serbian members could shed a light on what exactly happened during that summer and whether those exclusions were official or not.

                      I don’t even know if Sasha Pavlovic is Serbian. Could he be Montenegrin? I know he was born in Bar (Montenegro).

                      Darko Milicic would be a possibility for the Serbian NT if he had played this season and if Serbia didn´t have a battery of young centers with a bright future (see posts above).

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        from what i know...after beating US team in Indianapolis 2002, we played New Zealand in semis...during the half-time break, Duda was having a speech in a locker-room and Radmanovic was eating banana and not paying attention at all... Duda threw him out of the team and 13th player-Smiljanic received his gold medal during ceremony...he played again for out NT 2004. and 2005. when we had disastrous results...i think Zeljko accused him and some other "stars" for bad atmosphere... supposedly they were going out partying every night till dawn, drinking and screwing...

                        Milicic once refused the invitation to play for the NT and said that he has to prepare the exam for driving licence in US...and wasn't in love with Duda since... also he and Krstic didn't get along well even as young players... unfortunatelly we can only imagine what a duo we could have had in our NT

                        supposedly both of them (Milicic and Radmanovic) will play for Crvena Zvezda in next season...

                        about Pavlovic it's complicated...it's a bit hard to explain to people who aren't familiar with ex Yugo situation...lol...he could have played for both Serbia and Montenegro but he chose to play for none

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Ayrfon View Post
                          from what i know...after beating US team in Indianapolis 2002, we played New Zealand in semis...during the half-time break, Duda was having a speech in a locker-room and Radmanovic was eating banana and not paying attention at all... Duda threw him out of the team and 13th player-Smiljanic received his gold medal during ceremony...he played again for out NT 2004. and 2005. when we had disastrous results...i think Zeljko accused him and some other "stars" for bad atmosphere... supposedly they were going out partying every night till dawn, drinking and screwing...

                          Milicic once refused the invitation to play for the NT and said that he has to prepare the exam for driving licence in US...and wasn't in love with Duda since... also he and Krstic didn't get along well even as young players... unfortunatelly we can only imagine what a duo we could have had in our NT

                          supposedly both of them (Milicic and Radmanovic) will play for Crvena Zvezda in next season...

                          about Pavlovic it's complicated...it's a bit hard to explain to people who aren't familiar with ex Yugo situation...lol...he could have played for both Serbia and Montenegro but he chose to play for none
                          About radmanovic, i was watching the bulls vs heat game, and in the 4th quarter he was playing garbage time and i was thinking, why he is not playing in europe?...he still a great shooter and he is wasting time in the nba.

                          What about marko jaric is he still playing basketball?....by the way thank you guys for the answers.
                          sigpic

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Markovic, Macvan, Erceg and Perovic supposedly told Ivkovic they won't be playing in Slovenia...Savanovic questionable

                            This slightly complicates things...Kosta wouldn't be invited anyway, Erceg hadn't played for NT before so he won't be missed that much...but imho the other two will be missed...
                            I guess Nedovic will play as a back up PG and chances for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Milosavljevic are increasing...
                            I really hope for a miracle that Novica could get at least near his old shape as he is soooooo important...also, we might see Boris Savovic on PF, which is good for Zvezda as next season he might play as a domestic player and open place for another American...

                            I think Jaric is just enjoying life with Adriana Lima...and i can't blame him

                            P.S. Rasko Katic destroyed our youngsters Musli/Gagic last week and he fully deserves a
                            chance

                            P.P.S. Novica today 37 points, 8 rebs...PIR 43
                            Last edited by Ayrfon; 05-12-2013, 12:43 PM.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I would choose
                              PG: Teodosic, Cvetkovic, Andjusic
                              SG: Nedovic, Bogdanovic
                              SF: Bjelica, Lucic, Micov, Keselj
                              PF: Velickovic, Savanovic, Savovic
                              C: Krstic, Katic/Musli (I haven't followed how Stimac was playing so I wouldn't know about him)

                              Because thus far these guys deserved to play. This way we will have good young athletic players and we would do a lot of damage to any strong team that doesn't take us seriously. I would definitively like to see a lot of movement on the field even if we don't do something spectacular and with these guys its possible. We don't have top players anymore so we got to rely on young blood more than ever.

                              In bold is our strongest line up, but I know Ivkovic won't call all of the players I would like to see. He'll for sure call Paunic, Tepic and someone else and eventually it won't work well, because Paunic and Tepic are not basketball players, just like Macvan and Markovic aren't. The absence of 4 aforementioned players(Markovic, Macvan, Erceg and Perovic) is big boost for our national team. Maybe only Erceg at his best could jump in the group but whatever

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