The Montenegro junior men’s basketball team suffered a tough defeat against North Macedonia in their second friendly match as part of preparations for the B European Championship, held from July 25 to August 3 in Pitești. After losing the first match, North Macedonia once again showed dominance by overturning the game and securing a double-digit lead by the end. Montenegro led only briefly in the first quarter, but North Macedonia’s 8-0 run in the second quarter flipped the score and maintained the lead until the final buzzer. Montenegro’s top performer was Đorđe Gulić with 10 points and an impressive 15 rebounds, while Vladimir Komnenović and Pavle Mugoša added 8 and 6 points respectively. This was Montenegro’s last test before the B European Championship, where they will compete in Group D alongside the Netherlands, Norway, Croatia, and Slovakia. Their opening game is on July 25 against Norway. This loss casts a shadow over Montenegro’s preparations and raises questions about the juniors’ readiness for upcoming challenges. Will coach Marko Sekulić manage to get the best out of the team, or will Montenegro once again fail to advance? We’ll be watching closely and hoping for better performances and results in the matches ahead.
