The Serbian basketball team, after a dramatic win over Switzerland, secured another thrilling and tense victory, this time against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup qualifying match for Qatar. The Eagles triumphed 74:72.
This was only the second official game between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The first encounter took place at EuroBasket 2013, where Serbia won 77:67.
In their first qualifying match, Serbia overcame a massive 23-point deficit to beat Switzerland. This time, the gap was smaller—Bosnia led by up to nine points at several points—but under the guidance of new coach Dušan Alimpijević, the team never gave up and ultimately secured a well-deserved victory.
Throughout much of the game, Serbia was trailing, but Nikola Tanasković’s offensive rebounds and Stefan Momirov’s two crucial three-pointers helped the team seize the lead and claim the win.
However, the atmosphere was marred by the behavior of the crowd. During the Serbian national anthem, spectators whistled and chanted offensive slogans, including lines like: “No one will ever hate you like I hate you, Serbia, you Balkan whore.”
The first quarter lacked quality on both sides. Bosnia struggled to score in the opening minutes, while Serbia also managed only six points. Bosnia then found its rhythm, building momentum, but Serbia, led by Momirov, responded and ended the first ten minutes narrowly ahead 15:13.
Bosnia improved significantly in the second quarter, hitting three-pointers and gaining confidence from the crowd. Sulejmanović led Bosnia to a seven-point advantage, but Serbia answered through Tanasković and Ognjen Jaramaz, keeping the game close.
At one point, Bosnia extended their lead to nine points via Kastanjeda, but Jaramaz stopped the momentum from the free-throw line. Controversial referee calls also played a role; Serbia’s coach Alimpijević received a technical foul after disputing a non-call when Nemanja Dangubić was fouled on a three-point attempt. The halftime score was 39:35.
In the third quarter, Serbia had the opportunity to completely overturn the game, but Bosnia countered through Kastanjeda and Ajdin Penava, who played exceptionally. The frequent fouling slowed the game, benefiting Bosnia, who held a seven-point lead going into the final period.
The fourth quarter was intense and hard to describe. Serbia played without a traditional center, with Nikola Tanasković assuming the role of the five. Tanasković proved decisive, battling with Bosnia’s big men and gradually eroding their lead. When it mattered most, Stefan Momirov hit two critical three-pointers from the left corner.
Drama continued until the final seconds, with technical fouls flying and Bosnia nearly given a chance to tie or win. Fortunately, their final attempt ended in an improvised miss by Alibegović, and Serbia celebrated an astonishing away victory.
Nikola Tanasković was undoubtedly the player of the game, scoring 24 points with 8 rebounds. Ognjen Jaramaz added 15 points, and Momirov scored 11 points. For Bosnia, Kastanjeda had 19 points, and Emir Sulejmanović contributed 11 points, being the only other double-digit scorer for the hosts.
MORE TOPICS:
RESIGNATION OF ŽELJKO OBRADOVIĆ REJECTED: Partizan’s Executive Board made a unanimous decision!
Source: Sportal Foto: Sportal/Aleksandar Dimitrijević