Croatian NT 2011

[pohani komarac]

If anyone thinks the same, cares and wannts to help us sing petition against naturalized player in Croatian NT. Thanx!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/kultrepke/

[Tesla]

Wow I would be very disappointed if I was a Croat. Really what would be the point in having national teams if everyone went this way.

[Tesla]

Croatia should be pushing Bogdanovic. Every time I've seen him play he's ripped it up.

[rikhardur]

Young Croats Intend To Up The Ante

It barely seems credible but it's true.

16 years had passed without Croatia showing its face at the FIBA World Championship before they returned to the fold last summer.

The strongest side to immediately emerge from within the mighty furnace of Yugoslavia, the country fell improbably off the basketball map.

The nation of Kukoc, Petrovic and Radja, which took a glorious Olympic silver in 1992, was to become Europe's sleeping giant.

Qualifying for the Beijing Games, the Croatians emerged from dormancy to finish sixth, matching that mark at Eurobasket 2009 in Poland.

Still, states Ante Tomic, the hex is yet to be broken. "After 15, 16, 17 years, I think you can call it that," he underlines.

Headed to Lithuania in August, a young side intends to change history. However, insists the Real Madrid centre, there are no ghosts to lay to rest.

"We know who we've had in the past, those great players," Tomic declares.

"But we also know that we haven't won any medals in anything for the past 15 years or so. That's where the pressure comes from.

"Everybody is expecting something from us. Every year, we come away empty-handed. So we just want to break this curse."

Last year, head coach Josip Vrankovic cleaned house. Out with the old, in with the new.

Turkey was a tough baptism at the top level for the youthful Croats, who finished a lowly 14th at the World Championship. It was a leap of faith, a gamble in promise.

"I played terribly," Tomic states. It will take time, he says, for a return on that investment.

"But it's a very good thing having lots of players of the same age. We know each other well. We've grown up together. That's exciting."

There may be more to come through. The recent Nike Junior International Tournament in Barcelona was won by KK Zagreb with a dazzling young team, filled with potential.

The average age of their country's senior line-up in Lithuania will likely be under 26, with point guard Zoran Planinic considered a veteran at the age of 28.

Vrankovic has still asked Tomic, aged 24, to be a leader. "There is a bit of pressure on me," he concedes.

Having been a major factor in Real Madrid's march to the Euroleague Final Four, the expectations will have increased yet again.

Likewise, he feels, on his country. The rejuvenation of last summer was always going to be awkward - Croatia's inexperience held them in check.

One year on, with greater insight, they should have more to offer, Tomic predicts.

"Last year, when we got together, we had problems integrating everyone," he reflects.

"I think we learnt a lot from last year. The chemistry was great. But maybe we didn't have enough patience on the court and enough confidence in each other."

He trusts they can come good in a first round group in Alytus in which Greece will be favoured but which also includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and FYR of Macedonia.

"It's all the neighbours," Tomic laughs. "It's going to be interesting."

A mix of players, spread across Europe, will rely on Vrankovic for guidance and help.

Most of all, they need their most potent weapons to stand tall. The Utah Jazz saw enough in Tomic to expend a second round NBA Draft choice on the Croat in 2008 in the hope that, once his time in Spain is over, he might cross the Atlantic.

It is a dream he still holds. Just not yet. It can wait, although to say never would limit his ambitions.

"You always need to push further and push hard," Tomic underlines. "Everybody needs to do that to get better."

That's the kind of attitude required to raise the bar, one which might yet bring Croatia back from the fringes and into the mix.

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_Urw6xiOaI9g2wZyLVQfdm3.articleMode_on.html

[wardjdim]

The problem with Croatia lies mainly on their mentality

Every year since 2005 things look promising and every year there is a setback. Having low standards can end up being the key after all

I can't explain exactly what they are missing all these years. They used to have very good coaches, a great group of players in every position, not many issues in the locker rooms. And even if in 2005 they had this match with Spain that probably stopped them from winning at least a medal, it is inexcusable that they haven't done much more since then. This is 6 years ago and, if you count out the tournaments that the quartet of Kus-Popovic-Planinic-Ukic has played as a group, then it is a failure of a generation (a similar quarter of Papaloukas-Diamantidis-Zisis-Spanoulis has won 2 medals and made it to 3 straight semis in a period the Croats didn't reach top-4 at all). In every tournament they had decent bigmen. Maybe not so good wings, of course, not steady production there. But their frontcourt and backcourt has been steady and without many changes. In most cases, this is the secret to success. But so far, not for them

And look at them yet for one more year

Guards (or actually either pure PGs or combo guards)

Ukic (top-3 Euroleague PG this season)
Popovic (best Eurocup PG this season)
Planinic (top-10 PG in Europe, top-5 stats-wise in the Euroleague)
Kus, Stipcevic, Car, even Draper (which is not the best naturalisation you'd need in this roster, but he is one of the best guards in European leagues right now)

The 2nd options are scary. Brutally better than pretty much any other team in Groups C and D, where Croatia will attempt to finish 1st when teams meet up to form Group F

Wing Guards/Small Forwards

Bogdanovic (top-2 scorer in Euroleague, elite shooter, good with the NT)
Tomas (BAD season and an injury, yet a hell of a player and good scorer with the NT)

Actually Simon (my opinion is that he should be selected in this team) would be a very useful 3rd option, if either Bogdanovic or Tomas can move to SG in bigger lineups. I like Saric but maybe it's still too early for him and the senior NT, despite his sick season with Dubrava. I understand he needs to handle the ball and a good part of the team to depend on him and you can't afford that in such an important competition


Power Forwards

Similarly to previous years, only the names are different and maybe there is amazing talent here. Look at the names

Zoric (best season in Adriatic League in some years from any Croatian player not named Ante Tomic. Can emerge as 2nd option in the paint and even carry them at moments)
Banic (the natural starter for this team. Bilbao depended less on him. Can still play and score points though)
Radosevic (one of the steadiest big men in Euroleague. Outstanding stability and efficiency)
Zubcic (he will probably won't even make the team, but he has very nice skills)
Loncar (best and steadiest big of Khimki, hustler, good NT role player)


Centers

I am not sure how much they should force the 1st option to be Tomic. Didn't work last year and now, in a deeper roster, it might end up being a high-risk

Tomic (Not so steady, yet he can have many playings set around him. Looks like a swan, beautifully executing when taking the ball in the right place. Good shooting touch, poor rebounding and defense at high level)
Barac (Similarly to Tomic, a good touch. Also similarly to him very nice size, not so skilled but also not so soft, although not tough either. Excellent back-up for any team. Makes them extremely solid in the paint)

I don't believe they will take a 3rd player here, especially with Zoric and maybe Radosevic able to play some mins at center. If they do, of course the 3rd option is Andric, who wasn't bad at all in Galatasaray, but isn't at this NT level in my opinion


I would love to see a team with roles. A team where players would know what they are supposed to do. It looks to me that Vrankovic will have one of the best rosters again. Maybe the most talented Croatian team for many years. But there is a long way from having a very good roster on paper, a very talented one, to turning it to a very good team, with character, chemistry and winning mentality. And the Croats can go from a team with many good players to a fiasco or just a boredom team like some of the last, frustrating years

So, it's better to keep the tones low and learn how to prioritize their game. Repesa didn't make it, Spahija barely made it. Vrankovic is not at their level, but now he has the deepest generation for over a decade coming up with a lot of playing time in their teams and also has a ridiculously weak opponent pool (which is what? Greece and Montenegro in the first round, Russia and Slovenia in the 2nd) and the true challenge coming on the knock out stage. It is a rare chance for the Croats to calmly prepare the ground for some success this time, even if Radosevic and Marko Tomas might miss the whole tournament due to injuries. Things look better than ever for them

[Joško Poljak Fan]

Talking about Spahija and Croatian NT... well he DID his best and that best was in reality good enough for medals, but there are things you can't fight against.

[pohani komarac]

we all know what we missed in 2005.

some big names and markets were already out of race for WC...Italy, Turky, Serbia...with exception of Serbia who's not big market, but you can left champion without WC...with only 3 WC left. adding Spain to that list might cose a lot of trouble for Fiba....who watched game saw what happend...Croatia was just not alowed to win...Fiba didn't wannt to risk i last match with Spain and Slovenia....So Croatia was left without WC, lost to Slovenia and didn't get WC despite finishing better than all 3 teams that got WC, and prety much destroying two of those teams in direct matches.

I usually don't bitch about refs, hell I even metnion when my team is favorited by refs but that day was one of sadest in history of sport

what we miss in general is extra class player to be a leader like Drazen

who knows our mentality knows that without true leader in Croatia evryone thinks he is better, smarter and what ever...it all ends in confusion and adding emotinal mediteranian metality you get all time chokers And then there is presure of our people who acepts only the best of best, especially when it comes to handball, basketball and watherpolo....the way waedijim desribed our team is totally oposite of how they are seen in Croatia...people don't call Radosevic steady big man here, people call him untalented notorius full, people don't call Zubcic talented and skilled...people lough at scouting reports of those who said he has high BB IQ...For most Croats all of them are crappy players......they say it here for reason....Croatia is land with 4,5 milion coaches

[Kwijibo]

we all know what we missed in 2005.

some big names and markets were already out of race for WC...Italy, Turky, Serbia...with exception of Serbia who's not big market, but you can left champion without WC...with only 3 WC left. adding Spain to that list might cose a lot of trouble for Fiba....who watched game saw what happend...Croatia was just not alowed to win...Fiba didn't wannt to risk i last match with Spain and Slovenia....So Croatia was left without WC, lost to Slovenia and didn't get WC despite finishing better than all 3 teams that got WC, and prety much destroying two of those teams in direct matches.

I usually don't bitch about refs, hell I even metnion when my team is favorited by refs but that day was one of sadest in history of sport

what we miss in general is extra class player to be a leader like Drazen

who knows our mentality knows that without true leader in Croatia evryone thinks he is better, smarter and what ever...it all ends in confusion and adding emotinal mediteranian metality you get all time chokers And then there is presure of our people who acepts only the best of best, especially when it comes to handball, basketball and watherpolo....the way waedijim desribed our team is totally oposite of how they are seen in Croatia...people don't call Radosevic steady big man here, people call him untalented notorius full, people don't call Zubcic talented and skilled...people lough at scouting reports of those who said he has high BB IQ...For most Croats all of them are crappy players......they say it here for reason....Croatia is land with 4,5 milion coaches

ALways crying about the refs & spain

[Joško Poljak Fan]

You sure can't post anything but yet another one liner to the subject

[pohani komarac]

ALways crying about the refs & spain

yes...that is only game i still can get over it and i never will. that day is bigest shame for spain and fiba

and i alwas perferd spain and barcelona over any teams in sport not croatian one's till that day

[Kwijibo]

yes...that is only game i still can get over it and i never will. that day is bigest shame for spain and fiba

and i alwas perferd spain and barcelona over any teams in sport not croatian one's till that day

But it's true too that spahija lost his head at the ot. Greeks always say that he steal them the games!

[wardjdim]

Let's please focus on this years team

[pivx]

yes...that is only game i still can get over it and i never will. that day is bigest shame for spain and fiba

and i alwas perferd spain and barcelona over any teams in sport not croatian one's till that day

I was at that game and i agree with you.

PS: what did you mean by that fiba didn't want to risk game Spain:Slovenia?

[pohani komarac]

I was at that game and i agree with you.

PS: what did you mean by that fiba didn't want to risk game Spain:Slovenia?

because slovenia had strong squad, if slovenia beat them in 6th place match then it would be spain, italy, turkey serbia in bid for 3 wc...and you can't throw actuall world champion....so one of 3 big markets would be out, wich also were named or candidates to organize big events in future

[pohani komarac]

But it's true too that spahija lost his head at the ot. Greeks always say that he steal them the games!

can you blame him?

and i don't respect spahija, refs build his carer alot, one ref especially....ales pipan surley remebers those days

unlike many people here i never had anything against spain, ectually i'm big fan of spain in sports, becuse spin in any sport play game the way i like. with passion and freedom of creativity. whenever i watch game i try to be objetive as much as i can, i admited lot of times here like coatia u-19 vs. new zeland u-19 team that croatia got favorited by refs, but that game still hurts. i remeber that for few hours i just didn't know what to do with my self. didn't wann't to belive what was happenig so i decided to watch game few days leater...and when ever i watched that game same fealings go trough me