Last time we saw the Croatian national basketball team, they were leaving the court in Rio with heads hung low after being beaten by Serbia 86-83 in the quarterfinal round of the Olympics. Serbia would eventually grab the silver medal, losing to Team USA 96-66 in the gold medal match.
But 2017 is a new year.
And with a confident, retooled Dario Šarić leading the way, coming off a near Rookie of the Year season with the Sixers, Croatia can do damage at this tournament.
Why? Because a team called the United States won’t be playing.
Croatia will open up group stage on Friday, September 1st against Hungary in Cluj, Romania. All of Croatia’s group games will be in Romania before the tournament moves to Turkey for the knockout rounds. Croatia will then play Romania, Montenegro, Spain and Czech Republic to finish out group play. Spain will be the toughest test as Croatia guns for top spot, but remember Dario Šarić’s block on Pau Gasol at the buzzer in Rio to give Croatia the win:
Croatia will have three NBA players on this roster: 23 year-old Sixers forward Dario Šarić, 28 year-old Pacers shooting guard Bojan Bogdanović and 19 year-old Suns forward Dragan Bender. Lakers’ Ivica Zubac and Magic’s Mario Hezonja did not make the cut on a team which will be captained by Roko Ukić, who formerly played for the Milwaukee Bucks but now plays for Croatia’s Cedevita.
Croatia’s best result at EuroBasket was the semifinals, last in 2013, but this team can make a run with the talent they have put together under coach Aco Petrović, the brother of late, great Dražen Petrović.
Lol-u r a retart (sic), but as of late u r a funny retart.
If borna keeps this up, someday he could be as good as cilic
borna CORIC vs Andersen
Cilic vs schwartzmann
Danny …. They are but I believe they won’t meet till QF or maybe sf
Ya he played well
Buddy missed some shots but Borna made some beauties
Let’s hope he can make a run
Is he on the same side as cilic?
BORNA!!!!!! MAJSTORSKI POSAO!
Another scalp
Coric does it. Well done!
No matter the outcome borna shows nuff promise to perhaps be on of our best ever
That was insane
Saves 3 set points!!!!
Cilic up as well
4-4 in the 4th excuse me
4-4 in the third
Coric is up 2 sets to 1
Zverev vs coric
Looks like a lot of people here must be living the zdns life
ahahahahah ^^
Get on your brother’s Oluja tractor and get the f out truth troll
Idemo well said and well put! I’ll never get that time back either. Unreal.
Roko Ukic also played for the raptors.
I felt the anecdote did a good job capturing the love those players have for hrvatska when it’s convenient
I’ll never get back the time I wasted reading that.
What a lame, provincial and dull anecdote.
Saying zubac, hezonja and zizic did not make the cut is inaccurate. They chose not to play because the time was not right for them
That reminds me of my brothers story from the oluja. Gotovina came marching down on August 3rd and said “tonight we retake our Croatian territory! ”
Then he shouted “za dom”
But a good portion of the troops shouted back ” nismo spremni!. It’s not really a good time for us…. Can we maybe do this a little later? ”
And then gotovina agreed and moved the oluja to August 4th. Looks like hez, zub, and zizic are also living the zdns life