Nikola Jovic-led Serbia past Estonia in Riga

Aug 28, 2025 12:35 AM

The blue-and-black faithful had made the trip in droves, with over 8,000 fans packing Arena Riga, singing with all their might for Estonia.

The atmosphere was electric – at times it even felt like a home game. But inside the lines, sentiment had no effect. Serbia showed no mercy, stamping their authority with a commanding 98–64 victory to kick off their EuroBasket campaign in style.

Serbia’s Historic Ball Movement

If there was a theme to the night, it was Serbia’s unselfish basketball. They spread the floor, whipped the ball around, and piled up 32 assists, coming agonizingly close to the all-time EuroBasket record of 33.

That mark still belongs to head coach Svetislav Pesic’s Yugoslavia – a record set back in 2001, also against Estonia, creating a poetic full circle.

As Pesic himself said after the game:

“We start the competition with one win, but we don’t want to overestimate this game, but at the same time we won’t underestimate it. The win is important, it was our goal, but only to win it, it’s not enough for us. We wanted more, more, more, to see how we find solutions during the game.”

His players delivered exactly that – solutions at every turn.

The Turning Point: Maik-Kalev Kotsar’s Absence

For Estonia, the mountain was always going to be steep. But when Maik-Kalev Kotsar was sidelined with injury earlier in the summer, their path against Serbia’s size became almost impossible.

Without their star center, Estonia had no answer to Nikola Jokic and his supporting cast, who dictated the paint from the opening tip.

Serbia blasted out to a 32–12 lead in the first quarter, effectively closing the contest before it had a chance to breathe. From then on, it was a one-way street.

The Spark: Nikola Jovic

On a roster full of stars, the TCL Player of the Game was perhaps a surprise. Young forward Nikola Jovic poured in 18 points and 6 assists in just 16 minutes, injecting pace, energy, and composure.

He set the tone early, showing that Serbia’s depth stretches far beyond its MVP centerpiece.

Meanwhile, Jokic cruised through the night like it was another practice run, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists – a near triple-double achieved without breaking a sweat.

Numbers That Tell the Story

This wasn’t just dominance – it was comprehensive dominance. Serbia won every single statistical category: rebounds, shooting percentages, fast breaks, bench points, turnovers forced – you name it.

And those 32 assists weren’t just empty numbers. They marked only the 14th time since 1995 that a EuroBasket team has reached 30+ dimes in a game.

Serbia, France, Lithuania, and Czechia are part of that rare company – but this was Serbia’s night to remind everyone of their pedigree.

Estonia’s Silver Lining: The Fans

On the scoreboard, Estonia’s brightest light was Henri Drell, who scored 11 points. But the real story belonged to the traveling supporters.

Their passion shook the arena, turning Riga into a sea of blue, even against one of basketball’s global giants.

Head coach Heiko Rannula acknowledged the challenge while keeping faith:

“Yes, first game. Yes, against one of the favorites of the tournament. But we have our own plans and we have to be better.”

And forward Artur Konontsuk echoed the same forward-looking spirit:

“There will be as much Estonian fans as Latvian. But me, personally, I’ll try to get my thoughts away from the game. I’ll do analysis with the assistant coaches, see what I can improve and see what should I do in the next game. Move the focus on the next game, that’s how I’ll get over this game.”