European Basketball News: Serbia National Team coach, Dusan Alimpijevic, praises big star Nikola Jokic after victory over Italy in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers; he revealed that despite feeling very unwell in the days leading up to the match, Jokic still chose to play, stayed with the team, and never complained.
Serbia coach, Dusan Alimpijevic, had high praise for star and team captain, Nikola Jokic, after the victory over Italy in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers on Monday.
Jokic’s performance against Italy was subdued by usual standards—he scored just eight points in 24 minutes—but after the game, Alimpijevic revealed the main reason behind the lackluster performance while praising the Denver Nuggets star.
In the post-match press conference, Alimpijevic revealed that Jokic had actually been seriously ill for the previous three days, but he refused to be absent and insisted on remaining present for the sake of his team.
“The man next to me, Nikola Jokic, our captain, has been seriously ill for the last three days. He refused to give up and let his team fight alone. He kept playing and never complained,” said Alimpijevic after the match.
“He has shown extraordinary performance, and that is why we are very proud to have a captain like him,” he added.
This victory over Italy completed Serbia’s progress in the August qualifying window, where they managed to win both matches.
Thanks to these two important wins, Serbia strengthened its position in the FIBA World Cup qualifying competition; they moved up to second place in Group J with a 6-2 record and still have four games remaining. This result is also another big step towards ensuring qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
In the November fixture window, Serbia will face Italy again before taking on Lithuania, with the chance to ensure qualification for the tournament.
Article Tag: fiba, serbia, nikola jokic
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