Maljkovic selects 15 for Serbia’s final preparations ahead of Rio
ZLATIBOR (2016 Rio Olympics) - Serbia have reconvened in the resort town of Zlatibor for the final phase of their preparations for the Rio Olympics.
ZLATIBOR (2016 Rio Olympics) - Serbia have reconvened in the resort town of Zlatibor for the final phase of their preparations for the Rio Olympics.
The 15-player preliminary roster is expected to return to the Serbian capital of Belgrade on 19 July to host an international tournament against fellow Rio-bound Senegal and Turkey.
| Serbia 15-player preliminary squad for Rio 2016 Olympic Games | |||
| Tijana Ajdukovic | Diana Butulija | Sasa Cado | Milica Dabovic |
| Nevena Jovanovic | Sara Krnjic | Sanja Mandic | Jelena Milovanovic |
| Sanja Orozovic | Danielle Page | Tamara Radocaj | Maja Skoric |
| Aleksandra Stanacev | Dragana Stankovic | Biljana Stjepanovic | |
Two key players - Ana Dabovic and Sonja Petrovic - will be joining the EuroBasket Women 2015 champions later this month after their WNBA commitments.
If we show grit, if we play as a team, with incredible adrenaline and desire, I believe we can get good results and this is something that I believe in every moment ." - Maljkovic
Head coach Marina Maljkovic isn't letting the team rest on their European laurels. Instead she is aiming for them to take aim at higher goals in Rio.
"If we show grit, if we play as a team, with incredible adrenaline and desire, I believe we can get good results and this is something that I believe in every moment," she said to the local media.
Although 10 of the 15 pre-selected players are currently free agents, Maljkovic remains upbeat.
"This is the biggest challenge since I became the head coach of the national team in 2011. I'm sure that if we unite, we can make miracles for this country and its people," she said.
Asked to elaborate on what she calls her challenges, the player-caller pointed out that the team has a limited number of players "with EuroLeague Women experience, as opposed to teams like France, Spain or Turkey, not to mention the United States or China, which are totally different stories."
In Rio, Serbia will be making their Olympic debut as an independent country.
They have been drawn in Group B alongside Canada, China, Spain, Senegal, and the World and Olympics champions USA.
FIBA