Petrovic back for Serbia but Croatia lose Lelas

BELGRADE (EuroBasket Women 2015) - Serbia have received a boost in their bid to reach the Olympics with the return of Sonja Petrovic to the national side but the injury bug has bitten Croatia once again and knocked veteran Ana Lelas out of the EuroBasket Women.

The 26-year-old Petrovic last played for the national team at a EuroBasket Women in 2009.

A combination of injuries and WNBA commitments kept her out of the squad but following Serbia's impressive performances at the EuroBasket Women 2013 and the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship, Petrovic is back.

I am thrilled to be back in the team. - Petrovic

"The dream of every player is to represent her country, and my excitement could not be greater, especially since Serbia will fight to qualify for the Olympic Games," she said to the Serbian Basketball Federation website.

Not many pundits predicted that Serbia coach Marina Maljkovic would steer her team to a fourth-place finish at the EuroBasket Women 2013, but she did.

They followed that up with a superb start at the World Championship and reached the Quarter-Finals.

Serbia had hosts Turkey on the ropes in the Last Eight before falling, 62-61.

Maljkovic, looking to keep the momentum going, has welcomed Petrovic back with open arms.

"At the beginning of preparation, I emphasized and insisted that we will do whatever it takes to enable Serbia to go to the Olympics," she said.

"To accomplish this goal, we have to count on all available power.

"This will be one of the strongest continental championships in the last decade and that's why we have to have the strongest possible composition.

"I believe Sonja's presence will have a positive impact on our team and will bring additional quality."

Petrovic averaged 13.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in 16 EuroLeague Women games for title-winning ZVVZ USK Prague this past season.

She had 13 points and eight rebounds in the 72-68 upset of UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Final.

Serbia just defeated Australia in two games and in the second of those victories, an 88-78 triumph in Vrsac, Petrovic had 14 points.

The winners of EuroBasket Women 2015 will qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Games and while the sides that finish second, third, fourth and fifth will be invited to the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Croatia finished fifth at the EuroBasket Women 2011 and then sealed a place in the London Games via the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Moving into a top-five position at the tournament in Romania and Hungary (11-28 June) is going to be harder after the loss of Lelas.

A member of the team that played at the 2012 Olympics, the 32-year-old Lelas is not going to recover from a torn muscle in time to play.

She was a big star at the London Games, averaging 12 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest for her country.

Croatia coach Braslav Turic is already without injured players Antonija Misura and Marija Rezan.

Go to eurobasketwomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.

FIBA