By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Montenegrin forward/center Milko Bjelica wasn’t able to help the efforts of his national team against Spain (a 66 – 79 defeat in Podgorica) in the World Cup Qualifiers opener but will be there for the match vs Belarus in Minsk.
As Mozzart Sport reports, Crvena Zvezda has permitted Bjelica, one of its main contributors (12 points, 4.2 rebounds per game in EuroLeague), to join Montenegro in Sunday’s (25/11) match where his national team wants to grab its first victory in Group A. Belarus also lost in Game 1, falling to EuroBasket champions Slovenia in Ljubljana.
Red Star had also allowed its Serbian international players (team captain Branko Lazic, Nemanja Dangubic, Nikola Jovanovic) join the “Orlovi” in the World Cup Qualifiers. Coach Sasa Djordjevic didn’t use them in the 85 – 64 blowout win over Austria, but they are expected to play against Georgia.
The ABA League champions’ next game is on Friday (1/12) against Real Madrid in Spain for Round 10 of the EuroLeague regular season.