The Montenegrin national basketball team is in the midst of preparation matches ahead of the European Championship. After facing France and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Boško Radović’s squad is gearing up for yet another challenge tonight (19) in Thessaloniki against Greece, although Giannis Antetokounmpo will be absent from the Greek lineup.

Unlike the previous matches, Coach Radović will have new player Kyle Olmen available, who has recently joined the national team, taking the place of Kendrick Perry.

“This is Olmen’s first inclusion in our squad. I’m pleased with our progress, although we still lack some depth in our roster, particularly players who can consistently compete at this level. Currently, we can rely on about eight or nine players. We will see if anyone else can join us before the championship starts. Control matches have a different dynamic, allowing for rest days, whereas during the championship, we’ll face two games in just two days, necessitating a larger player rotation. I’m hopeful we will have more players available for the European Championship,” Radović stated ahead of the match against Greece.

Vladimir Mihailović, a key player in the team, emphasized that it’s premature to draw conclusions about their preparation so far.

“It’s too early for definitive statements. I believe we can be satisfied with our current state. Our training has been good, and we’ve had two solid tests. Now, it’s time to face Greece. As with every game, we’ll strive to optimize our performance and develop our skills. Greece is a formidable opponent, especially on their home turf,” Mihailović remarked.

Montenegro is grouped with Germany, Lithuania, host nation Finland, Sweden, and Great Britain. Their first tournament match will be against the reigning world champions, Germany (August 27).

“Once the championship begins, we will encounter many games in a condensed timeframe. For now, the schedule is relatively manageable with ample recovery time between games. I hope we’ll be physically prepared to endure the upcoming challenges,” Mihailović explained.

The team has yet to properly integrate Olmen.

“He has just arrived, and we haven’t had a proper training session yet. The upcoming period will provide him the chance to acclimate and prepare effectively to contribute to our success,” Mihailović concluded.

Following the match with Greece, Montenegro will return to Bar, where they are set to face Israel on August 17, before heading to Istanbul on August 22 to take on Turkey, eventually traveling to Tampere thereafter.

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