Montenegro Basketball Team Sets Sights on Victory in Baku

The Montenegro women’s basketball team has embarked on their journey to Baku following a challenging match against Ukraine. After a flight from Podgorica to Istanbul, the team arrived in Azerbaijan’s capital to prepare for their next game against the Azerbaijani team, scheduled for tomorrow at 12:00 local time. This match is part of the second round of qualifying for the Eurobasket, where Montenegro aims to secure their first victory in the group stage.

In their opening match of the qualifying cycle, Azerbaijan suffered a devastating defeat at home against Bulgaria, losing by a staggering margin of 93 points. With limited experience in international competitions, the Azerbaijani team has struggled to compete at this level. Montenegro, on the other hand, is viewing this game as a crucial opportunity to rebound after their loss to Ukraine.

Maja Bigović, the center for the Montenegro national team, shared insights about the team’s travel and training. “The journey was long and tiring, but we managed to train and prepare as best we could for the game,” she stated. Bigović emphasized the importance of this match, recognizing Azerbaijan as the weakest team in their group.

The new qualification system introduced by FIBA has allowed lower-ranked teams to compete for a spot at the Eurobasket, but it is evident that Azerbaijan still faces a significant challenge. Montenegro, having lost to Ukraine, is focusing on refining their strategies before facing Bulgaria in Botevgrad on November 18, 2024.

Bigović acknowledged the team’s weaknesses in their previous match, particularly highlighting their poor shooting performance, especially from three-point range, where they recorded only 3 out of 24. “We had the will to fight and went for rebounds, but the shots just didn’t want to fall,” she reflected. The team plans to review video footage to identify their mistakes and improve before facing tougher opponents.

Montenegro’s next steps involve traveling to Sofia after the match in Baku, followed by a confrontation with Bulgaria, which will complete their first qualifying window. Last year, in Botevgrad, the men’s team secured their place in the Eurobasket with a win, and the women are hoping for a similar stroke of luck after their challenging start against Ukraine.

As the Montenegro team prepares for these crucial matches, the pressure is on to deliver a strong performance that could set the tone for the rest of the qualifying campaign.