Disheartening Loss in Switzerland Hinders Montenegrin Women’s Basketball Team’s Eurobasket Hopes
Kovačević delivered an outstanding performance only in the first quarter, Photo: FIBA
The Montenegrin women’s basketball team has put their EuroBasket qualification in jeopardy after a defeat to Switzerland in Aarau.
In the 5th round of the qualifiers, the “Reds” fell 55:47 (10:14, 15:15, 7:9, 19:9). Consequently, they must secure a victory against Luxembourg by at least 11 points in the final round in Bar (this Sunday at 16:00) and hope Switzerland defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If this happens, Montenegro, Switzerland, and Luxembourg would all have identical records (four wins and two losses each), with our team leading in that trio and advancing to EuroBasket from the top of the group.
Moreover, Montenegro could potentially qualify for the European Championship as one of the four best runners-up.
“Unfortunately, our basketball team is undergoing a rough patch; many players are without clubs, which was evident in the final quarter. We only converted four out of 11 free throws, which is below our usual standards. However, we need to put this game behind us, prepare in the next two days, and seek support and energy from the fans to help us secure a place,” stated coach Jelena Škerović.
In Arau, our team started strong, taking an early 5:0 lead, but the home side responded with a 10:0 run. Nonetheless, it was evident that Montenegro had the upper hand in rebounding.
Kovačević capitalized on this advantage, scoring swiftly to regain the lead with seven points.
The beginning of the second quarter saw the home team take control, yet the latter moments belonged to the visiting team, thanks to Mak’s baskets from under the rim.
The third quarter saw a total of 16 points, with numerous fouls and missed free throws from both sides.
Entering the final quarter with a six-point lead (38:32), it disappeared just over two minutes in due to a home 7:0 run.
The Swiss team tightened their defense, showed more determination, and gained the upper hand in the match. However, with three and a half minutes remaining, our team still had a chance at 43:40, but the players struggled to lift the momentum.
The top performers for Montenegro included Maks with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, alongside Kovačević with 12 points and eight rebounds.
On the other side, Luxembourg secured an away victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 5th round with a score of 78:37.
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