The Serbian team won the Bronze Medal during the U16 European Championship in 2010. This year, the team from the Balkan comes with the same ambitions which are to win yet another Medal. However, our writer calms the expectations of the Serbian fans with his Preview.
A sundown mistaken for a dawn ?
Last year, after the U16 European Championship, Serbian fans had high expectations regarding the 2010 U17 World Championship, mostly because a lot of talented players were missing. One year later, disappointment is the word that perfectly describes this team. For diverse reasons, the weaknesses of this generation remains, although Serbia had the possibility to erase them.
First of all, injuries had a major impact on the composition of the team. Last year starting point guard Aleksandar Cvetković didn’t play most of the year while Dusan Bogdanović (2m10 – 1993) who was expected to be the starting center left the training camp after only two days in order not to aggravate his knee injury.
Furthermore, Serbian Basketball Federation showed no interest for Serbian Diaspora talents such as Wisconsin commit Frank Kaminsky (2m09 – Center – 1993 – Benet Academy) or Stefan Janković (2m10 – Forward – 1993 – Kiski USA), whereas Bogdan Radosavljević (2m10 – Center – 1993) decided to play for Germany. That’s why, coach Nenad Trunić presents again a team without real centers but with two duets of undersized post players (Bezbradica–N.Janković & Ćirović–Mitrović) who play together in their teams and whose leader will be once again Nenad Miljenović. But contrary to last year when he was playing SG, Miljenović is expected to have an increased role as PG.
Finally, although it’s always difficult to judge someone else choices, Trunić decision to select an out of shape Cvetković over Nikola Sočanac (1m85 – Beovuk – 1993) who had a great season in Serbian 2nd division or Vasilije Micić (1m92 – FMP – 1994) who was more than a back up for Miljenović in FMP junior team) is hardly understandable, as well as the non-selection of all around guards Đorđe Mičić (2m01 – Olimpija Ljubljana – 1993) and Ivan Lukic (2m03 – Torrelodones – 1993).
written by albiongate
Official Roster for Serbia
Aleksandar Cvetković – 1m85 – Guard – 1993 – Crvena Zvezda
Marko Radonjić – 1m90 – Guard – 1993 – Crvena Zvezda
Nenad Miljenović – 1m94 – Guard – 1993 – FMP
Nikola Radičević – 1m95 – Guard – 1994 – Partizan
Nemanja Dangubić – 1m96 – Guard – 1993 – Kris Kros Pancevo
Nikola Čvorović – 1m96 – Guard – 1994 – Crvena Zvezda
Nemanja Krstić – 1m98 -Forward – Hemofarm
Đorđe Milošević – 1m98 – Forward – 1993 – Hemofarm
Nikola Janković – 2m00 – Forward – 1994 – FMP
Luka Mitrović – 2m04 – Power Forward – 1993 – Hemofarm
Marko Ćirović – 2m04 – Power Forward – 1993 – Hemofarm
Nemanja Bezbradica – 2m04 – Power Forward – 1993 – FMP
Nenad Trunić is the current head coach of the U17 National Team of Serbia.
albiongate follows Balkan and particularly Serbian Youth Basketball. He is very active in providing information on Serbians abroad. You can read him in different Basketball forums or on Facebook.
The Serbian team qualified through a U16 National Team that finished 3rd at the U16 European Championship 2009.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Djuro // Jul 1, 2010 at 11:21 pm
The problem of this generation are not players but coach. Nenad Trunic has no significant experience. The choice of players as you stated Cvetkovic instead Socanac, Krstic instead Popovski, Cirocic insead Vujovic…. some tactic mistakes, proces of team preparation showes that Trunic is on the level to be coach of NT of Serbia. Only individual quality of 4-5 players can push this generation. Very said story for Serbia.
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4 ska // Jul 2, 2010 at 11:26 pm
albiongate is pretty biased when commenting young players from Serbia, acting as spokesperson of some individuals.
Trunic brought the NT of Serbia to this championship, so his capacity of the NT coach should not be challenged.
5 albiongate // Jul 3, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I agree, I’m acting as spokesman of players that deserve to be selected. The best prospects should be selected, not the ones who have strong managers or who are playing in famous team.
6 albiongate // Jul 3, 2010 at 5:35 pm
@ Ska
_ Do you know who is coaching Stefan Jankovic ?
Daryn Freedman. He was working as assistant coach with John Calipari for 8 years in New Jersey Nets (NBA) and Memphis (NCAA).
_ Do you know which NCAA teams wants to recruit Jankovic ?
USC, Stanford, Washington State, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Detroit, Northwestern, Drexel, Buffalo, Penn State, Baylor.
http://www.flagrantfouls.com/player-profile/high-school/stefan-jankovic.html
PS : My tributes to you SKA and greet Nebojsa Covic, Miodrag Raznatovic and Goran Vojkic for me. And feel free to answer me back when you will heard about Nenad Dimitrijevic (1998), Vuk Lazic (1998) and Luka Doncic (1999) .
7 albiongate // Jul 3, 2010 at 8:19 pm
@ Ska
Bogdan Radosavljevic scored 18 pts, grabbed 6 rebounds and had 3 blks against Spain tonight.
http://hamburg2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fu17wc/men/p/gid/6/grid/B/rid/7200/game.html
You can blame silly Serbian Basketball Federation for this.
8 albiongate // Jul 4, 2010 at 5:38 pm
@ Ska
China U17 – Serbia U17 74-71
Where are you now ?
9 Djuro // Jul 4, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Ska,
you should know that NT of Serbia is on WC U17 due to good players. The coach only drag them down so they have to fight aginst him an oponents at the same time !!!
10 Stevan // Jul 5, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Haha, this getting ridiculous though.
I really appreciate the article albiongate. Definitely there are horrible things going on in the federation and everybody who is a little involved know this. Actually, I am quite surprised that our basketball is on a high level. Given the crap what is going on, this is a major success.
As an example one can take the coaching association… Nobody cares to collect dvds from various clinics around the world or anything. The only things they have is from the 90`s somebody donated them… aahhh, I’m too tired to write all the crap…
11 ska // Jul 6, 2010 at 1:23 am
@ albiongate
Why did you get so upset?
Sorry I missed all the fun, I was away.
I’m celebrating Argentina U17 – Serbia U17 56-62.
By the way, kids that you mentioned, playing in Vukovar and Olimpija , are great, especially Vuk.
12 kubii // Jul 6, 2010 at 4:41 pm
@albiongate
what do you think about nihat izic (turkish youth team coach)? good friends with trunic i guess.if he is the serbian youth coach are you against him?
13 Coach JH // Jul 27, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Nemanja Bezbradica now has offers on the table from the Univeristy of Cincinnati and the University of Tennessee, with Kentucky showing very high interest.
14 Christophe // Jul 27, 2010 at 6:13 pm
@Coach JH
thanks a lot for the info
15 Coach JH // Jul 28, 2010 at 12:39 am
Your welcome, feel free to email any time.
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