Under the guidance of head coach Roko Ukić, the Croatian cadet team continued their convincing run at the FIBA U-16 European Championship Division B, securing a quarterfinal berth before their final group game against Iceland.
Croatia's cadet basketball team continued their dominance at the FIBA U-16 European Championship Division B in North Macedonia. After a day of rest, Roko Ukić's squad steamrolled Ukraine by a staggering 56 points, winning 110:54, and clinched a spot in the quarterfinals ahead of their final group-stage match.
Played in the 26 April Hall in Gevgelija in front of just 50 spectators, the game was decided by halftime. Croatia took the first quarter 26:16 and then broke Ukraine's resistance in the second with a 30:14 run. The second half followed the same pattern, with quarters of 26:9 and 28:15. The referees were Poland's Skorek, Finland's Penttilä, and Romania's Stretea.
Ukić again distributed playing time evenly among his players. The only one not to see the court was Tin Jurić, while everyone else got on the scoresheet. Two stats best illustrate the gap in quality: Croatia dished out 30 assists, while Ukraine turned the ball over 30 times.
Croatia's top scorer was Luka Ukić, the head coach's son, who posted 21 points and nine assists in just 25 minutes on the floor. Fran Strahija had a hot shooting night with five three-pointers and 16 points, while Nikša Zlopaša added 14 points and five steals. Ivan Ćošković was also in fine form, scoring 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Vidaković chipped in with 13 points, and Vlaić added 13 points and six assists. For Ukraine, Šulha led the way with 11 points and five rebounds, while Bojko contributed nine points and six rebounds.
This was Croatia's fourth consecutive win in Group B, following earlier blowouts over Switzerland (+54), Cyprus (+74), and hosts North Macedonia (+55). With a 4-0 record, they share the top spot with Iceland, who are also undefeated but have not been nearly as dominant. Ukraine sits at 2-2, while Switzerland (0-3) and Cyprus (0-4) are still winless.
The final group game against Iceland is scheduled for Tuesday at 4 PM. Although the quarterfinal spot is already secured, Roko Ukić's side wants to finish first in the group to secure a better position for the knockout stage. The real challenge lies ahead, as two wins in the elimination phase and a top-three finish are needed to earn promotion back to Division A.
