Montenegro’s Women’s Basketball Team Faces Challenges in Euro Qualifiers

Montenegro’s women’s basketball team is gearing up for crucial EuroBasket qualifiers, although injuries are impacting the squad’s strength. Head coach Jelena Škerović has announced a preliminary roster for the upcoming matches, which will include three remaining fixtures in the first phase of qualifying. Montenegro will face Ukraine in Riga, and then play Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in Bar.

Notably absent from the roster is Sofija Živaljević, a key player from Slovak club Ruzomberok, who will miss the qualifiers due to an injury. The team is set to convene in Riga on March 8, 2024, where Ukraine will host the match against Montenegro on March 11.

While the roster includes players such as Dragana Živković from CS Rapid Bucuresti and Jovana Savković from Budućnost Bemax, both are also sidelined due to injuries. Živković sustained an ankle injury during the first match of the Romanian playoff quarter-finals on February 27, managing only two minutes of play. Meanwhile, Savković has been grappling with back issues for over a month and was unable to compete in the final of the Montenegrin Cup.

As Montenegro prepares for these decisive matches, the preliminary roster comprises several other talents, including:

– Marija Leković – Estepona (Spain)
– Bojana Kovačević – Hapoel Petah Tikva (Israel)
– Maja Bigović – Darazsak (Hungary)
– Sanja Aksam – Crvena zvezda (Serbia)
– Natasha Mack – Phoenix (USA)
– Andrea Glomazić – Isla Bonita (Spain)
– Zorana Radonjić – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)
– Ksenija Šćepanović – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)
– Nikolina Ilić – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)
– Janja Dragišić – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)
– Marija Đuranović – Ragusa Dubrovnik (Croatia)
– Milena Bigović – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)
– Marija Baošić – Budućnost Bemax (Montenegro)

In the first qualifying window, Montenegro lost to Ukraine at home with a score of 71-65, secured a significant victory against Azerbaijan with 104-62, and narrowly fell to Bulgaria 66-62. Presently, Montenegro ranks third in Group E, trailing behind Bulgaria (3-0) and Ukraine (2-1), while Azerbaijan sits at the bottom with a record of 0-3.

The top two teams from each group, along with the three best third-placed teams across the seven groups, will advance to the next stage of the qualifiers. Following their match in Riga, Montenegro will host Azerbaijan on March 14 and Bulgaria on March 17 in Bar, making these games vital for their hopes of advancing in the tournament. The team’s performance in these upcoming matches will be crucial for their EuroBasket ambitions.