Nikola Jokic and the Serbian national team delivered a commanding performance in their closed-door exhibition game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, securing a 126–89 victory as part of their EuroBasket 2025 preparations.
The matchup, held without media or fan attendance, served as Serbia’s first official tune-up ahead of the continental championship set to begin later this month.
Although no official box score was released, the lopsided final score and dominant pace suggest that Jokic led a highly efficient offensive outing for Svetislav Pesic’s squad.
Serbia jumped out to a 30–23 lead after the first quarter and widened the margin with a 34–16 second period, effectively putting the contest out of reach by halftime.
The third quarter saw the “Orlovi” add another 33 points, maintaining a double-digit cushion before both sides traded baskets in the fourth, finishing the game tied 29–29 in the final frame.
Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP and Olympic bronze medalist, returned to national team duties for the first time since the Paris Games, rejoining a core that also features Vasilije Micic, Nikola Kalinic, and Marko Guduric.
While individual statistics were not made public, the result was a clear early statement from Serbia, who will compete in Group A at EuroBasket 2025 alongside hosts Latvia, Turkey, Czechia, Portugal, and Estonia.
Next up for Pesic’s roster is another closed scrimmage against Poland, one of the co-hosts of the upcoming tournament, scheduled for tomorrow.
Following the Poland game, Serbia will travel to Cyprus to compete in a pre-EuroBasket mini-tournament, including matchups against Greece and the host nation.
Their final phase of preparation will take place in Munich, with games against Czechia and either Turkey or Germany on August 15–16.
Serbia will wrap up its exhibition slate with a marquee friendly against Slovenia on August 21 in Belgrade Arena — the lone public warm-up game on home soil.
Group play at EuroBasket begins for Serbia on August 27, when they face Estonia in Riga, Latvia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, who struggled defensively in the loss to Serbia, are drawn into Group C. They will face Italy, Spain, Greece, Georgia, and host nation Cyprus in group play, with all matches scheduled to be held in Limassol.
Bosnia opens the tournament on August 28 against Cyprus, followed by games against Spain, Italy, Greece, and Georgia.
