The Montenegrin national basketball team secured their first victory in the preparatory phase, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 102:90 last night in Sarajevo.

After trailing by a point at the end of the first quarter, the Montenegrin team took control, concluding the match with an impressive 18-point lead (94:76).

“It was a solid performance for us, and we managed to come out on top. Naturally, there were fluctuations, which is expected at this stage, but our main focus now is to apply what we’ve practiced in training during these preparatory matches. Our energy and approach were commendable, and we are pleased with our performance against a strong opponent. We held the lead for the majority of the game and managed to sustain it until the end. Personally, I felt good on the court, and I’m satisfied with how I played,” Nikola Vučević shared with Meridiansport.ba.

The crowd at “Skenderija” welcomed Vučević with applause.

“I’m thrilled to have played in the iconic ‘Skenderija’, especially since I previously played in the smaller venue during my time with Buducnost. It’s particularly meaningful because my father, Borislav Vučević, played for Sarajevo’s Bosna from 1978 to 1987, and now, after all these years, I’ve had the chance to compete in his favorite hall. He also met my mother in Sarajevo, who played for Željezničar at the time,” Vučević reminisced.

The NBA star also looked back at the match against France, which Montenegro narrowly lost 81:75.

“Our game against France was promising. We had a shaky first half with several turnovers, but our performance improved in the second half. We corrected our mistakes and executed well in defense, hitting open shots in offense. We should be proud of our efforts,” explained Vučević.

Boško Radović’s team will take on Greece, Israel, and Turkey in the lead-up to the championship.

On the other side, BiH center Kenan Kamenjaš emphasized that this match could be pivotal for his team.

“The fans who came expected more from us, as did we. We revisited many concepts from Belgrade. Although these are friendly matches, there’s a lot to learn from this defeat. Perhaps it’s better to face this loss now than to deceive ourselves. This could be a crucial turning point for us; sometimes, a loss is more valuable than a win. We will keep working to enhance our performance while maintaining our strengths. We’ll be heading to Belgium soon for a tournament, aiming to showcase our talents and win both matches to build our confidence before the European Championship,” Kamenjaš told Meridiansports.ba.

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