Bogdan Bogdanovic spoke to the media after the quarterfinal match against Lithuania at the FIBA World Cup.
Serbia displayed their best performance in the World Cup so far, particularly against Lithuania, resulting in a convincing 87-68 victory and securing their spot in the semifinals. As the captain of the Serbian team, Bogdanovic scored 21 points in today’s game.
“I want to share a story from this morning. Borisa Simanic gave us incredible energy. We were nervous; we changed hotels, and I was especially nervous. In my younger days, I always used to lose to Lithuania. I saw his message after a long meeting where he told me he was okay and that we should win tonight. Despite everything that happened to him, he united us; he’s an incredible guy. This is for him,” said Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic about semifinal
“It’s very important for us, first as players, and then how we represent our country. I’m happy because we’re in the semifinals, and we’re ready to compete!”
The role of the captain and leader
“Sometimes, I don’t know how to behave. It just comes naturally. It’s great to be a leader for these guys, but as players, we’re all the same in the locker room. Maybe I said something to Guduric that he liked. I’m glad it helped him, but honestly, I don’t remember what I said, but the feeling is great.”
How does it feel to play against a team that has beaten the USA?
“That’s how the tournament works. You should never relax; we can celebrate this victory, but tomorrow is a new day. We’ll be watching Canada and Slovenia and preparing for the next opponent. I’ve learned from past experience, whether successful or not, you have to prepare for the new challenge. The score says we won by 20, but we really gave it 300% of our capabilities.”
Bogdanovic about the performance against Lithuania
“I don’t know what to say. I play instinctively, sometimes I’m crazy and shoot too much, but that’s me. Today, I played really well; I always strive to improve, and I liked how I played tonight. Honestly, it could have been better. I rushed some shots that I don’t usually miss, but we have video analysis ahead to be better for the next game,” explained Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Sleepless night
“We have a peculiar character; we never seek excuses even in very tough situations. As long as we’re in the hotel, we think about it, we talk about it. When it comes to training and the game, we are all professionals and focus only on the match. Borisa gave us an extra boost with his message, and we thank him for that!”
Finally in semifinal
“I’m still not aware of how much this means. Kari knows, he’s been here many times. That’s a question for him,” said the captain of Serbia with a smile.
Bogdanovic about his poor match against Italy
“I don’t choose when I’ll play well or poorly; sometimes things just happen. I’m only human. I didn’t intentionally miss. I don’t know what happened to me that day. I believed in every shot; it felt right, and I thought that was it. I talked to Jovic, when it was 15-16, two three-pointers, and it’s a 21-point difference, and that’s it. Maybe somewhere along the way, we deserved that misfortune and luck. I don’t know what to call it.”