Serbia easily won Puerto Rico, as part of preparations for the FIBA World Cup, match was played in Stark Arena, Belgrade.
Serbia dominated the game from start to finish, thanks in large part to the stellar play of Ognjen Dobric and a commanding lead established in the first quarter (26:13). Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Milutinov also contributed heavily to the team’s success. Serbia was leading by 65-25 at halftime.
Serbia dominated the third quarter, even reaching a 50-point lead at one point, but Aleem Ford managed to somewhat reduce his team’s deficit (89:46). Towards the end of the game, we witnessed a more relaxed performance from both teams, which culminated in a convincing victory for the home team (110:75).
The top scorer of the match was Ognjen Dobric with 23 points. Nikola Milutinov contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 15 points, while Nikola Jovic added 11 points along with eight rebounds and five assists. For Puerto Rico, the top scorer was with Tremont Waters with 11 points.
Nikola Topic received his first minutes in the senior national team of Serbia. The young point guard got his name on the scoresheet with four successful free throws. Topic celebrated his 18th birthday just a few days ago. These minutes on the court are a wonderful gift for him.
Serbia will play their next preparatory match on August 20th against China. Puerto Rico will play next match, against Lithuania.
The FIBA World Cup will be played from August 25th to September 10th in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. Serbia and Puerto Rico will play in group B, with China and South Sudan.