Serbia is adapting to life without Bogdan Bogdanovic—and proving day by day they remain a powerhouse. Against a depleted Czechia side, they leveraged their size and depth inside the paint for an 82-60 victory in Riga, improving to 4-0 in Group A of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
Turning Point: Size and Paint Domination
From the tip, Czechia’s lack of frontcourt presence was glaring against Serbia’s imposing lineups. The Czechs shot poorly inside the arc, hitting just 1 of 11 three-point attempts in the first quarter while Serbia surged to a 27-5 lead after 10 minutes.
Coach Svetislav Pesic even rolled out a rare trio of Nikolas—Jovic, Jokic, and Milutinov—creating a matchup nightmare. Serbia dominated the paint 52-20, clearly owning the physical battle.
Player of the Game: Nikola Milutinov
Milutinov had a career-best performance in the tournament so far, scoring 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, grabbing 7 rebounds, and adding 2 steals for an efficiency rating of 19. After struggling earlier, he showed why he’s vital to Serbia’s frontcourt strength.
Stats That Tell the Story
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Czechia shot a dismal 2-of-19 to start the game.
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Points in the paint heavily favored Serbia 52-20.
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Serbia maintains perfect 4-0 record.
Sometimes basketball is simple: when you can’t score efficiently, you lose.
What’s Next?
Serbia now face a crucial showdown against Türkiye to decide the Group A winner. Meanwhile, Latvia has clinched a Round of 16 spot as the third seed, with Czechia eliminated. Coach Pesic’s worries grow, as Vasilije Micic exited with a rib injury late in the game and did not return.
Quotes from the Serbian Camp
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Stefan Jovic: “We’re sad about Bogdanovic, but we know what to do. He’s with us in spirit, and we play for him.”
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Nikola Jovic: “We believe in ourselves. We may have lost Bogdan, but we have a great team and know what to do.”
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Svetislav Pesic: “This is probably the strongest Turkish team ever. We remain ambitious, with or without Bogdan.”
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Tristan Vukcevic: “Türkiye share the ball well, Sengun is incredible. We have to scout and limit him.”
Bottom Line
Serbia’s frontcourt depth and mental toughness are carrying them through adversity. The upcoming game against Türkiye promises to be a thrilling battle between two EuroBasket giants fighting for group supremacy. Want me to keep you updated on that clash and Serbia’s injury situation?
