The Montenegrin national basketball team was captained by Nemanja Radović during the February “window” of the EuroBasket qualifications.

With Radović at the helm, our team has successfully concluded another cycle, culminating in a spot at the European Championship. This marks Montenegro’s fifth participation in EuroBasket, the third consecutive for the “reds,” and the second for the player from Murcia.

Montenegro wrapped up the qualifying phase for the continental tournament last night with a hard-fought overtime loss to Sweden in Stockholm (86:83). Prior to this match, it was evident that our team was on the verge of qualifying, especially following a crucial victory against Bulgaria in Botevgrad last November. Last night’s outcome merely confirmed what was already anticipated: the end of August and early September will be dedicated to our national team’s matches.

“We waited until the last moment to see what would unfold. We are thrilled; we achieved something significant for our nation. We take pride in accomplishing a good job. From the first ‘window,’ it was challenging; the group was strong, and the roster was ever-changing. But everyone involved gave their all, showcasing real unity. It was a pleasure and an honor for me to take part in this cycle,” said Nemanja Radović after securing qualification for the European Championship.

The previous EuroBasket was Radović’s first major competition donning the Montenegrin jersey. He later represented at the World Basketball Championship in the Philippines, achieving a historic result but missed the Olympic qualification cycle. He now anticipates another continental challenge.

“Sometimes I feel we underestimate our achievements. A country with just about half a million residents has participated in the World Cup twice and now qualified for another European Championship—this is monumental. Many nations and strong teams did not make it to the championship. It’s a tremendous achievement for our basketball, and we should celebrate and take pride,” Radović candidly expressed.

The “windows” competition format is unique, often leaving teams incomplete, a situation Montenegro faced as well. Nikola Vučević, along with other NBA players, was absent, and this window also missed Bojan Dubljević, Charlie Moore, Igor Drobnjak, and Marko Todorović. Nikola Ivanović was absent for the match against Germany but emerged as our leading scorer with 26 points against the Swedes. Also missing in Stockholm were Vladimir Mihailović, Luka Bogavac, and Marko Simonović.

Reflecting on the start of the qualifiers back in February 2024, it’s noteworthy that Dubljević and Ivanović were unavailable at that time, while Petar Popović missed the November matches against Bulgaria. The games against Bulgaria marked Kendrick Perry’s last appearances for our national team, leading to John Radebau’s participation in this window. Nonetheless, every player consistently gave their utmost during their time in the national team jersey, a sentiment echoed by Radović.

“All the guys who are here and who have played throughout this cycle have a deep love for representing Montenegro. The energy and atmosphere in the team are fantastic. Now we’ve welcomed some fresh, young talent who have integrated well, contributing to a really positive environment. We try to set aside any fatigue during our time with the national team; we have a lot of fun and truly enjoy ourselves,” Radović remarked.

Montenegro looks forward to March 27th and the EuroBasket draw, scheduled to take place from August 27th to September 14th in Poland, Finland, Latvia, and Cyprus.

“We are eager for the draw to see which group we will be placed in. Regardless of the group composition, we will fight until the end and do our absolute best,” Radović concluded.

News