Serbian student-basketball players are entering University Village today. The last test for the boys in blue will be this weekend’s tournament in Sport Palace in Novi Belgrade.
In the famed Basketball Hall, a basketball tournament will be played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday: Serbian national basketball team will play host to basketball teams from Russia, the States and Canada.
– We have finished the preparatory cycle. Fortunately, our players have no injuries; the team is ready. This rather challenging tournament will be a true test of our readiness. I would like to invite all basketball aficionados to come and root for Serbian team. This will be the best way of announcing the start of the Universiade – said the head coach Aleksandar Kesar at today’s press conference.
The head coach of the national team, Dusan Ivkovic, did not speak of the results achieved by his team, but about the forthcoming tournament,
– This is an important tournament with very good players and will help create atmosphere of basketball in Belgrade. Because, Belgrade is the city of basketball. When the Yugoslav league was at its apex, Belgrade had four premier league teams and Sport Place was always full. We are playing in the basketball temple. Novi Belgrade has many basketball devotees and this tournament is the first step towards making basketball the dominant Universiade sport.
Marko Keselj, the small forward of the student selection, joined in the conversation about the forthcoming tournament.
– The four teams at this tournament are also the favorites for the medals at the Universiade. The forthcoming matches will help us enter the competing rhythm, because we will play on each of the three tournament days. It will be like big world championships.
Kesar pointed out the importance of the fact that the boys in blue will play with 14 players. That will give the coach better insight into their play and maneuvering space in case of some unforeseen circumstances. Talking about the placement of his team, Kesar said:
– As hosts, we owe to our audience to aim for the highest possible position. I am sure that it is going to be a very high-quality competition, but at this moment we cannot make any calculations. We need to see the other teams, to see who will come. The only thing I can promise is that we will give our best to win.