Game Day 1 - European Qualifiers

[R1ou]

It should have never come down that close after leading by double digits with like 80 seconds to go..

[pohani komarac]

Overall I've seen some glimpses of other games (including a good part of exciting Netherlands upset against Croatia, who was punished for sending their C squad as many core players who don't even play in NBA or Jordileague were mysteriously absent, an upset where a minor favourite of mine Yannick Franke shone bright) and now I think that generally this format was a good idea. The crowds in many places were numerous, active and these games, despite all the absences, definitely had a pleasant 'FIFA-qualies'-like atmosphere. That's a great thing. Even NBA absences won't spoil an excitement.

.

This team is unfortunatlly almost best we could send right now, besides some players who retired like Ukic. Some players turned down NT, others are not allowed to play and some were injured. This move by FIBA stripped Croatian basketball. We did produced few NBA players recently and we still have like 15 players better than this but...., but in general we stopped producing middle class players. At some point we had like 20-30 EL players, now we have few.

[Terrorizer]

This team is unfortunatlly almost best we could send right now, besides some players who retired like Ukic. Some players turned down NT, others are not allowed to play and some were injured. This move by FIBA stripped Croatian basketball. We did produced few NBA players recently and we still have like 15 players better than this but...., but in general we stopped producing middle class players. At some point we had like 20-30 EL players, now we have few.

I don't know about the current situation (who did turn down invitation, who retired from the NT - for example, I was surprised by Ukic's absence) and I generally agree with you that Croatia isn't as successful as it was in a sheer numbers of solid quality players it produces. Nevertheless, even if we are to dismiss Jordileague players and older guys like some Marko Popovic, still I don't get where were guys like Hrvoje Peric (an old favourite of mine, a very useful all-around player with a diverse set of offensive skills), Leon Radosevic, Ivan Buva, Tomislav Zubcic (is he injured? can't remember him playing this season and I've seen a couple of Bonn games), Rok Stipcevic, maybe young Lovro Mazalin or Fran Pilepic, even someone like Mario Delas or old fox Damir 'Croatian Shved' Markota. Maybe, this would not be a huge upgrade (at least not as huge as if you would have Saric or Simon fielding in) but these are the players with better international experience and generally better pedigree than most of those who made this Croatian roster.

Well, judging by their level of success overseas, maybe some of the Croatian NBAers would (moderately) soon get back to Europe. Yet most probably with current EL retarded system we still won't see them playing in the games of this type. I mean, Zubac is sent to G-League, Ante Zizic who can be really damn effective in a proper system also struggles to find a decent place in Cavaliers, even Hezonja, a lottery pick and presumed future superstar, plays rather sparingly. Bender has a decent playing time (though in a team as lousy as current Phoenix where friggin Mike James is one of the main offesnive weapons) but his NBA future also doesn't look as bright as it was after he was drafted that high.

And also, by the way, why the heck Nik Slavica somewhat vanished from the radars? Of that star-packed 1997 generation I only liked Zizic and Arapovic more than him.

[Terrorizer]

Yep, and also I somehow didn't pay attention to the fact that Vorontsevich and Kurbanov were also absent. Though I don't think that their presence would make a hell of a difference.

[pohani komarac]

I don't know about the current situation (who did turn down invitation, who retired from the NT - for example, I was surprised by Ukic's absence) and I generally agree with you that Croatia isn't as successful as it was in a sheer numbers of solid quality players it produces. Nevertheless, even if we are to dismiss Jordileague players and older guys like some Marko Popovic, still I don't get where were guys like Hrvoje Peric (an old favourite of mine, a very useful all-around player with a diverse set of offensive skills), Leon Radosevic, Ivan Buva, Tomislav Zubcic (is he injured? can't remember him playing this season and I've seen a couple of Bonn games), Rok Stipcevic, maybe young Lovro Mazalin or Fran Pilepic, even someone like Mario Delas or old fox Damir 'Croatian Shved' Markota. Maybe, this would not be a huge upgrade (at least not as huge as if you would have Saric or Simon fielding in) but these are the players with better international experience and generally better pedigree than most of those who made this Croatian roster.

Well, judging by their level of success overseas, maybe some of the Croatian NBAers would (moderately) soon get back to Europe. Yet most probably with current EL retarded system we still won't see them playing in the games of this type. I mean, Zubac is sent to G-League, Ante Zizic who can be really damn effective in a proper system also struggles to find a decent place in Cavaliers, even Hezonja, a lottery pick and presumed future superstar, plays rather sparingly. Bender has a decent playing time (though in a team as lousy as current Phoenix where friggin Mike James is one of the main offesnive weapons) but his NBA future also doesn't look as bright as it was after he was drafted that high.

And also, by the way, why the heck Nik Slavica somewhat vanished from the radars? Of that star-packed 1997 generation I only liked Zizic and Arapovic more than him.

Radosevic when sigig his first intenational contract had to give somethin around 8500 euros, since then he does not want to play for Croatia. Peric in past was ignored by our federation because he had wrong menager, now I guess they didn't have balls to call him in his 30is. Zubcic signed new contract and his new team wanted him to join them. I would also like to know why Pilepic and Buva are not here. I guess federation gave up of some older guys like Zoric, Ukic, Markota etc. Arapovic and Babic are injured. Slavica is sitting on Cedevita's bench and honestly he didn't improve anything

All in all with all problems and coach beginer things don't look bright