If the tiny Balkan nation of Montenegro were to make the Rio Olympics next year, it would be marked as one of women’s basketball’s great stories.
Only gaining independence in 2006, Montenegro have had to rebuild and restructure their programme.
With forward Jelena Dubljevic on the roster, that hasn’t been a problem.
While Montenegro so far have not learned what life is like on the world stage just yet, they are definitely quick learners. In 2009, they cemented their spot in Group A [the main qualifying group] of the European women’s basketball zone by finishing a perfect 12-0 in Division B.
At the first attempt, the newcomers qualified and finished sixth at Eurobasket Women 2011, with Dubljevic averaging 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds a game. The Balkans were no doubt the surprise package of the tournament and despite narrowly missing out on the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for London 2012, they proved to be no pushovers.
Two years later, Dubljevic led Montenegro in scoring [17.7] and rebounds [7.5], only this time the Montenegrins could only reach the second round.
This year though, Dubljevic, appearing in her third Eurobasket will have a second bite of the Olympic cherry, as Eurobasket Women is one of the gateways to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
But with 2013 runners-up France, the experienced Czech Republic plus two rising nations in Ukraine and co-hosts Romania housed with Montenegro, the 27-year-old knows it’ll be tough.
A trip to Brazil though is not on the USK Prague star’s mind.
“We do not need to think much about the opponents, because we also have our strong points and the opportunity to achieve the stated objectives,” Dubljevic said to FIBAEurope
“We have experience with the previous two championships and I believe we have unearthed some lessons and so we can go to win in every game – no matter who the opponent.
“We must have a goal and that is to achieve a better placing than last time and we also have to imagine that we want the impossible.”
Montenegro begins their Eurobasket Women campaign on June 11 against the Czech Republic in the Romanian city of Timisoara.
We have received no easy group,” Dubljevic said.
“France were runners-up in Europe and it is needless to waste words on the quality of their team. Ukraine are excellent and we know this after the challenge we faced against them in qualifying this past summer; they are a very dangerous and high-quality team.
“Czech Republic are a regular participant at Eurobasket Women and the FIBA world championship for women, while it will not be easy against Romania considering they are one of the hosts of the championship.”
It’ll be tough for Montenegro as another Olympic gateway inches closer, but with players like Dubljevic and Iva Perovanovic on the roster, another great Olympic chapter could be written.
