The Croatian U-18 national team finished only eighth at the home EuroBasket B Division, and head coach Luka Kralj took responsibility for the shocking quarterfinal loss.
The Croatian junior basketball team suffered a painful underachievement at the EuroBasket B Division for the under-18 age group, held in Rijeka and Opatija. Instead of the anticipated fight for promotion to the elite A Division, the team led by head coach Luka Kralj finished in a modest eighth place, with the key blow coming from an incredible defeat against Poland in the quarterfinals.
The match against Poland, which Croatia lost 68:66, has already gone viral on social media and FIBA's official website. The home players led by seven points (66:59) a minute before the end, but in the remaining 56 seconds they conceded nine points and failed to score on any of their possessions. The climax of the drama came four seconds before the end when Šime Grbin poorly executed a sideline throw-in, Tomislav Vučković failed to catch the ball, and Polish player Hubert Swirydowicz hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game for his team.
"The match against Poland was our weakest of the tournament up to that point. At the very start of the game, we missed several layups and open shots, and later we fell apart on defense, especially in controlling defensive rebounds, and often struggled in setting up our offense. However, in the last minute with such a lead, we had to find a way to finish with a win," said Luka Kralj, head coach of the Croatian juniors and coach of Kvarner's junior team, for Riječki Novi list.
Kralj did not shy away from responsibility for the catastrophic finish. He is aware that his team made a series of mistakes in the crucial moments that cost them a place in the semifinals.
"Unfortunately, we did everything wrong in those 50 seconds, and it ended the way it ended. There were missed free throws, a foul on a three-point shot, a turnover on a double-team in our own half, and finally that throw-in. Of course, the plan was not to lose the ball; the plan during the timeout was to execute the throw-in and get to the free-throw line. I am the first to blame and responsible for that defeat. It turned out to be as painful as possible," added Kralj.
The shock of the defeat was so great that the Croatian national team failed to recover for the remaining classification matches for 5th to 8th place, which they played in less than 24 hours. First, they lost to Hungary 73:75, allowing the opponents a 10-0 run in the 38th minute, and then to Georgia 81:83, despite leading for most of the game and entering the final quarter with a 66:59 advantage.
"There is no doubt that the defeat against Poland was a huge shock, sadness, and disappointment. We played the other two matches in less than 24 hours, and after a sleepless night and such a defeat, it is truly difficult to be fully prepared and motivated. Additionally, Zdravko Perić got injured against Poland, leaving us without a starter, which made our job even harder," explained the head coach.
While Croatia struggles in the B Division, neighbors Slovenia are enjoying success in the elite tier. After winning the European Championship with the under-20 team, Slovenia also claimed gold at the European U-18 Championship last weekend, defeating Italy 88:71 in the final.
Croatia now pins its hopes on the cadet selection. The under-16 team, led by head coach Roko Ukić, will play at the European B Division Championship in North Macedonia from August 6 to 15. One of the main assets will be Rijeka native Fran Strahija, a Kvarner player and son of former Croatian Olympic swimmer Marko Strahija, who recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds in the last warm-up match against Sweden.
"We wanted, we could, and in the end we should have done more than we did. However, the outcome is what it is..." concluded Kralj.
