In 2017 the Eurobasket was held, where its final stage was held in Istanbul. A special Eurobasket since it would be the last one that is disputed every two years, from that moment it will be celebrated every four years, the following one will be disputed in 2021, and special by its winner Slovenia, that for the first time touched the honeys of a medal and they did it to the big thing, with the Gold
In the semi-finals the Slovenes swept Spain by (72-92), and in the other cross Serbian beat Russia by (79-87). In the fight for bronze Spain hung a new medal, the last for Juan Carlos Navarro who announced his departure from the selection after defeating the Russians (93-85) to the Russians. In the grand final Slovenia beat Serbia (93-85) to the rhythm of an unstoppable Goran Dragic and his squire Doncic.
Slovenia won the Eurobasket for the first time in their history after beating Serbia in an electrifying final 93-85. An ode to basketball in which the Slovenian faith finally propelled Kokoskov’s pupils to gold.
Slovenia made history. The history of an independent country since 1991, in which basketball is a true religion but had never risen to the podium … until this Sunday did it to touch the sky.
And it was the saint and sign of this selection that was to blame. Goran Dragic led his team to an epic triumph from the beginning. His first part will be recorded forever. 26 of his 35 points came in the first two quarters. Well seconded by Doncic and Prepelic, the Slovenian base was simply unstoppable to leave the match at break 56-47.
Serbia relied on Bogdanovic’s touchdown to withstand the downpour and after the break began its particular war of attrition. Djordjevic’s men would fight to the point of exhaustion to get back into the game. Doncic’s injury would be the drop that would fill the glass of Slovenian stability.
With the young Luka with tears in his eyes on the bench, doubts appeared, exhaustion extinguished Dragic’s brilliance and it was then when Prepelic and Randolph appeared when the trend was heading towards a victory for a much more whole Serbia and a dynamic upwards.
The final would enter a new dimension when Macvan completed the Balkan comeback with a 4:50 (77-78) deficit. And that’s when Slovenia’s faith would propel Kokoskov’s side into the final stretch. With neither Doncic nor Dragic on track, with 84-82 and 1:38 for the end, Randolph scored a providential 2+1 that paved the way for Slovenia. The hurry and the Serbian mistake in the decisive attacks would be definitive to decant the final.
Slovenia 93
*Doncic – 8p, 7r, 2a.
*Dragic – 35p, 7r, 3a.
*Blazic – 7p, 3r, 2a.
*Muric – 5p, 1r.
*Vidmar – 2p, 5r.
Prepelic – 21p, 4r, 3a.
Randolph – 11p, 4r, 2a.
Nikolic – 4p, 3r, 2a.
Dimec – 0p, 1r.
Zagorac – 0p.
Cancar – 0p.
Serbia 85
*Jovic – 2p, 2a.
*Bogdanovic – 22p, 5a, 4r.
*Lucic – 9p, 8r, 2a.
*Macvan – 18p, 5r, 3a.
*Kuzmic – 6p, 1r.
Marjanovic – 6p, 3r, 1a.
Guduric – 6p, 1r.
Micic – 4p, 3a, 1r.
Bircevic – 8p, 5r.
Stimac – 2p, 1r.
Milosavljevic – 2p, 1r.
