JOSIP SESAR BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT: "WE MUST NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE IN THE COMFORT ZONE!" -

After a long journey due to a technical failure on the plane, the national team is in Greece and has done its first training. How is the national team, are they all healthy?

After a long journey and vicissitudes, fatigue is present, but the boys have done one training session, and today another will follow. Regarding the health bulletin, everything is fine, everyone is ready and we can’t wait for the start.

When we mention Slovenia, everyone first thinks of Luka Dončić, but Josh Nebo is the latest naturalized Slovenian player.

It is normal that the greatest interest is caused by Luka Dončić, who is one of the best players in the world, but there is also Prepelič, there is that Josh Nebo, there is also Dragič, Čančar, Murić… these are all high-quality players and we have to make sure that they are not playing around. Dončić will probably play his part, and it’s up to us to try to lower his shot success percentage. The key will be in team defense when we mustn’t allow Kepelić, who is a great shooter, to play. We must not let them do what they want, we must not allow them to be in their comfort zone. We have prepared some tactical variants and details of the defense and alternative defense, we will additionally make a video analysis of their previous meetings and, I hope, ready to wait for the game.

Josh Nebo has already played Euroleague and we know the way he plays. He is different from their previous American Tobey, who turns more outward after the pick. Nebo plays more under the basket and that’s where we have to prepare – it’s important that the axis between Dončić and Nebo doesn’t malfunction in our game, because it’s obvious that they gave him a passport for easier cooperation with Luka Dončić. The focus is on the first match, but the second one with New Zealand is only 18 hours away.

That preparation is up to the staff and me, and we don’t want to burden the players with it. We’re going step by step, we’ll follow all the matches here, but the focus must be on the first and the next one,” coach Sesar said at the end.

The Olympic qualifying tournaments will be played from July 2 to 7, 2024 in Greece, Latvia, Spain and Puerto Rico. Croatia is participating in the tournament in Greece in Group A with Slovenia and New Zealand, and will play against Group B, which includes Egypt, Greece, and the Dominican Republic. Both groups are playing near Athens, in Piraeus. Match schedule at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece (broadcast on SportKlub and RTL2).

July 2 8pm Slovenia – Croatia

July 3 4:30 pm Croatia – New Zealand

July 6 – semi-final games

July 7 – final

SOURCE: Croatian Basketball Federation