• Home
  • FIBA
  • EuroLeague
  • NBA/NCAA
  • National Leagues
  • Podcast
  • Features
  • More
  • Contact

Grimag

  • FIBA
  • EuroLeague
  • NBA/NCAA
  • National Leagues
  • Podcast
  • Features
  • More

Montenegro 73, Serbia 71: A star is born as Ivanovic hits buzzer-beater three

August 20, 2012

How do you quiet one of those notoriously airplane-loud crowds in Belgrade? Eighteen-year-old Nikola Ivanovic, showing poise beyond his years, had the answer to that riddle on Saturday in Team Montenegro’s Eurobasket 2013 qualifying round game against Serbia. To cap the stunning upset victory, Ivanovic calmly launched a near-halfcourt three, struck gold and instantly utterly silenced a stunned Serbian house.

Coming off the bench for Team Montenegro in this tournament, Ivanovic logged a total of 14 minutes in the 73-71 win, going 3-of-4 from the field with none more important than the emphatic dagger.

All in all, not too shabby a performance for a guy who was playing for Montenegro in the FIBA U16 European Championship just two years ago, in the Adidas Eurocamp this summer … and who doesn’t have to date a FIBA profile card.

In the 2010 U16s, Ivanovic was top scorer for Montenegro, who was perhaps the surprise team of the pool play rounds before getting knocked out by Lithuania in the first tournament game.

After the Eurocamp experience, the excellent Eurohopes noted of Ivanovic, “Extremely matured and experienced … Standing at 6’1” (1.85m) he may lack some size; however, at Adidas Eurocamp competing with opponents even four years older, he showed that average height does not prevent him from playing at the highest level. In addition, the playmaker from Montenegro seems somehow limited athletically, but makes it up with other physical tools.”

Eurohopes goes on to note Ivanovic’s “amazing ball-handling, natural-born feel for the game and flow, stating that he “is ready at the age of 17 to play … at the senior level in a major role.”

Ivanovic is certainly making Ivanovic look prescient today … and Montenegro may toast their newest hoops hero.

Props to Spanish-language (!) Belgrado Basketball for the tip!

Aug 20, 2012ballineurope
Powered by Sidelines
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
This post was published on August 20, 2012
It’s official: Serge Ibaka to stay in Oklahoma City for four more yearsTanjevic: “NBA coaches don’t understand,” “Kanter has forgotten how to play”
You Might Also Like
 
Comparing European and NBA travel calls
 
After the Olympics: What's the future of Serbia?
Comments: 1
  1. las artes
    10 years ago

    With his team trailing by one in the dying seconds, Ivanovic launched the ball more in hope than expectation but the Montenegro players exploded in celebration when it went through the hoop.

    ReplyCancel

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

ballineurope
10 years ago 1 Comment FIBA, Moreadidas Eurocamp, basketball highlights, buzzer beater, Eurobasket 2013, Eurobasket qualifying rounds, FIBA, FIBA U16 European Championship Men, Nikola Ivanovic, Team Montenegro, Team Serbia
Recent Posts
For Bonn, to win just once would be enough
24 days ago
Thank you Partizan
1 month ago
The Sloukas game
1 month ago
Categories
Recent Posts
For Bonn, to win just once would be enough
Thank you Partizan
The Sloukas game
Tags
EuroLeagueNBAYouTubeCSKA MoscowReal MadridFC BarcelonaFIBAOlympiacosZalgiris KaunasPanathinaikosACBSpainMaccabi Tel AvivTeam SpainRicky RubioLos Angeles LakersMontepaschi SienaPartizan BelgradeLithuaniaPau GasolGermanyTeam LithuaniaTurkeyItalyIrelandTeam FranceCaja Laboral BaskoniaLietuvos RytasFenerbahce ÜlkerJuan Carlos NavarroGreeceSan Antonio SpursTony ParkerFranceMinnesota TimberwolvesDirk Nowitzkibasketball highlightsTeam RussiaSerbiaTeam USAALBA BerlinEuroBasket 2011EuroCupBrose Baskets BambergDallas Mavericks
Share
0
Facebook
ABOUT
BallinEurope.com was founded in September 2007 by Christophe Ney (who now runs the excellent scouting-themed website European Prospects) and Tobias Seitz, both then bloggers for FIBA.com with over 10 years’ worth of experience in the professional basketball world each. The mission then was to “provide a very unique perspective of Basketball in and about Europe.”
Most Commented
Why Andrei Kirilenko and CSKA Moscow must win the Euroleague
11 years ago
180 Comments
Euroleague Transfers Table 2008/2009
15 years ago
168 Comments
A week in highlights: Spanish block party, mighty Milos, Utah rap and some dude dunking in L.A.
12 years ago
139 Comments
Archives
Get In Touch

Email: emmetryan@gmail.com

Name: Emmet Ryan

2014 © BallinEurope. Join JCI Dublin