ABU DHABI (UAE) — Serbia rested their captain, Bogdan Bogdanovic, for their second open preparation game following an impressive showdown against France. Head coach Svetislav Pesic dug deep into the bench and got some productive minutes from Aleksa Radanov and Aleksej Pokusevski. Serbia is expected to announce their 12-man roster for the Olympics later this week.
Meanwhile, the Aussies were playing their second of back-to-back encounters after Monday’s close loss to the USA. Some of their bench players, including Jack McVeigh and Will Magnay, also saw extended playing time.
The Boomers had an inspiring fourth quarter and eventually secured a win with a score of 84-73.
The story of the game
Patty Mills took charge early on with a couple of threes to give Australia an early lead. Nikola Jokic also gave the crowd something to cheer about as the game remained close through the first half, with Serbia taking a one-point lead into halftime.
Australia tightened up on defense in the third quarter, but Serbia continued to find baskets through players like Giddey and Dante Exum, who had a standout game finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The final quarter was extremely intense, with both teams exchanging baskets and the lead shifting from side to side. Aleksa Avramovic made a couple of big plays with a lay-up and a crucial forced turnover. Serbia briefly held the lead, but Mills showed his clutch gene once again with big shots, an offensive rebound, and key assist to Dyson Daniels, sealing the win for Australia.
The player of the game
We had been missing him, but we finally saw a proper version of FIBA Patty Mills: still quick, extremely confident, and passionate. The 35-year-old gave Australia an early spark and ensured his national team got the job done in the final quarter. Mills is the heart and soul of the Boomers, and it’s such a joy to watch him compete at the highest international level.
By the final buzzer, Mills had 28 points (7-13 FGs), 5 assists, and made some key plays in the decisive stages.
Nikola Jokic had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Serbia in 28 minutes of action.
The stats of the game
Serbia had an off day from the perimeter, converting only 3 of their 22 three-point attempts. Many of those misses were open looks, and the Serbs will hope this was their worst shooting night of the summer. In contrast, Australia hit 43% of their long-distance shots.
The Aussies also won the battle on the boards 42-37, demonstrating a solid team effort, especially against the formidable duo of Jokic and Milutinov. It was yet another example of the great fighting spirit of Australia.
The takeaways from the game
FIBA Patty is back, and the mood around this Australian team is booming once more. Their effort was off the charts yet again, and the final quarter of both of their games in Abu Dhabi should leave fans back at home intrigued. The 2020 Olympic bronze medalists will be aiming for the podium in Paris as well.
However, the Serbs looked worn out in the final quarter and revealed their weaknesses with a low 3-point percentage and weak paint defense when Jokic was rested. On a positive note, Milutinov appears to be finding his offensive rhythm, contributing more effectively on the opposite end of the court.
Next, the Serbs will face the USA in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, while Australia will take on Puerto Rico on Friday as they continue their journey to France as part of their final preparation campaign.
FIBA