Dragovan Dugalic and his wife Vesna had many reasons to celebrate in Sacramento last night, because their pet and basketball national team player Andjela, with her university UCLA, managed to qualify for the Final Four of the four best women’s student teams in America, defeating great rivals from Duke 70:58!
– It was exciting, at first we were a little apprehensive because Duke led by 10 points, but then Andjela and her teammates managed to turn it around, as they have done in several previous matches, so in the end the victory was even dearer to us, the father Dragovan conveys his impressions of the match to Serbian Times.
To our remark that this turnaround occurred precisely with his daughter’s entry onto the court, he modestly notes:
– It is true that Andjela brought that energy, but that is expected of her. She is always positive, ready to compete and never gives up. That is in her nature; she is like that on the court and in life. After the game, everyone praised her, from the coaches, players, people from the college, we were proud that she is ours, what can I tell you.
Last night the Dugalic family was together: Mother and father came to watch and cheer for Andjela in the fight for the NCAA final tournament.
– It was really nice, emotional, both we and she shed tears of joy, and then we went together to celebrate. UCLA University made an effort to organize it nicely so that the players’ parents could share the joy with their daughters immediately after the game.
Dragovan is originally from Studenica near Kraljevo, and his wife Vesna is from the surroundings of Smederevo. They came to America in search of a better life, started a family in a suburb of Chicago, where Andjela was born 24 years ago…
– Although she was born in America, since she started training basketball, there was never a dilemma for her – she wanted to play for the Serbian national team. That is how she felt, that is how we taught her. That is why there was no end to the joy when the call from head coach Marina Maljkovic arrived about 5 years ago. And especially when she won gold at the European Championship in Spain – she shone with pride! Those appearances for the Serbian national team later helped her a lot in college games; she gained great experience and routine, she matured.
SHE KNOWS HOW TO CELEBRATE: Andjela Dugalic after the great triumph over Duke
We ask the proud father if Andjela had genetic predispositions for basketball, if he ever actively participated in this sport:
– No, I played a little recreationally, but never seriously. If she pulled a sports gene, then it is surely from her mother Vesna (née Novakovic) who played handball at the first-league level, during the time of Ceca Kitic and our other legendary handball players. She had a beautiful career, playing for Vozdovac, Radnicki Belgrade, Dinamo Pancevo, so today she can give her daughter some sports advice from experience…
IN THE DEAREST JERSEY: Andjela as a member of the Serbian national team
When asked if they will go to the Final Four in Phoenix and what he expects there, Dragovan answers like a shot:
– Of course we will go, we must support Andjela now when it is most important. And there I expect a great fight. Last year they were at the Final Four, lost in the semifinals, but gained great experience which I expect them to use now. I expect two victories and a big title, for her to become the champion of America, and then for us all to celebrate together, says Dragovan Dugalic at the end of our conversation, the father of the great hope of Serbian basketball and sincerely, we hope – the future champion of America!
Andjela’s brother is also a basketball player – he plays in England
Andjela’s older brother Milos (26) is also a basketball player who, after a solid college career, returned to his parents’ country, where he took his first professional steps playing for Serbian clubs.
– Milos loves Serbia and wanted to start his career there. He played for Sloga from Kraljevo, Zdravlje from Leskovac, and now he plays for the Bristol Flyers in England, but he follows all of his sister’s results, says the father Dragovan Dugalic.
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Author: Antonije Kovačević Photo: Porodična arhiva, Raffall