Serbia U18 basketball team beat Bulgaria 89-62 in Rovereto

Serbia's under-18 basketball team defeated Bulgaria 89-62 in Rovereto. The victory moved Serbia into the classification matches for ninth through twelfth place. Denmark will provide the next opponent in Italy.

The Serbian juniors built the decisive advantage during a dominant third quarter. They scored thirty points and allowed Bulgaria only six. That period changed a close half-time score into a comfortable lead.

Djordje Gnjato led Serbia with twenty-three points. Kaloyan Kolev scored sixteen points for Bulgaria. Serbia produced the stronger team performance despite two important injury absences.

A positive start did not settle the match

Serbia opened the game with more accurate attacking possession. The team scored twenty-seven points during the first quarter. Bulgaria remained close enough to keep the contest active.

A seven-point lead gave Serbia control without offering complete safety. Bulgaria continued attacking the basket and competed for missed shots. The Serbian defence still faced regular pressure inside the paint.

The first quarter also showed Serbia's wider scoring options. Several players contributed before Gnjato became the main reference. That spread prevented Bulgaria from focusing on one matchup.

Serbia finished that quarter ahead but still required stronger defence. The pace had produced chances for both teams. Bulgaria answered more effectively during the next ten minutes.

Bulgaria reduced the difference before half-time

The second quarter became Serbia's most difficult period of the game. Bulgaria won those ten minutes by one point. Its defence slowed several Serbian possessions and limited easy finishes.

Serbia still protected the lead built during the opening quarter. The score at half-time remained favourable but not decisive. A short Bulgarian run could still have changed the direction.

Two Serbia U18 players walk across the court in white national team uniforms.

The Serbian team entered the break with forty-one points. Bulgaria had thirty-five after a more balanced second period. Only six points separated the teams at that stage.

The break allowed Serbia to reorganise the defensive coverage. The next period showed a much sharper response. Bulgaria found fewer open shots and struggled after losing possession.

The third quarter decided the result

Serbia returned with its strongest basketball of the afternoon. The juniors increased pressure and turned stops into quick attacks. Bulgaria scored only six points during the entire quarter.

At the other end, Serbia added thirty points. The ball moved through several hands before the final shot. Gnjato punished the defence when it left space around him.

The twenty-four-point swing removed the tension from the score. Serbia entered the final period with a thirty-point lead. Bulgaria now needed an unrealistic comeback against a settled opponent.

The decisive run came from defence as much as shooting. Serbia denied comfortable first options and controlled more rebounds. Those possessions created the rhythm for the scoring burst.

Gnjato supplied the main scoring line

Gnjato finished as the leading scorer with twenty-three points. His contribution arrived during the periods when Serbia created separation. He scored without stopping the movement of the wider attack.

A productive lead scorer changes the choices available to a defence. Bulgaria had to send more attention toward Gnjato's area. Other Serbian players then received more space around the court.

Kolev answered with sixteen points for the Bulgarian team. He remained its most consistent attacking option across the game. The third-quarter collapse still limited the value of that contribution.

The final difference did not depend on a private scoring contest. Serbia gained points from a broader group and defended better together. Gnjato's total led a complete team victory.

Injuries reduced Serbia's available rotation

Serbia played without Vuk Danilovic and Luka Zivojinovic. Both players were unavailable after injuries earlier in the tournament. Their absence shortened the rotation for another classification match.

The remaining players shared more minutes and responsibilities. That situation made the strong third quarter especially important. A large lead reduced late physical pressure on the group.

The team also responded after its round-of-sixteen defeat against Greece. That loss ended Serbia's chance of entering the medal rounds. The Bulgaria game required an immediate change of focus.

Classification matches still shape the final European Championship position. They also provide high-level minutes against different national styles. Serbia treated the first of those matches with clear purpose.

Serbia youth basketball players and staff pose together in a sports hall.

The fourth quarter protected the large margin

Bulgaria improved again during the final ten minutes. It won the quarter by three points after the result was settled. Serbia still controlled the overall pace and avoided a serious run.

The Serbian staff could distribute minutes across the available players. That mattered with another match approaching in the classification schedule. The large lead made those changes possible without endangering victory.

Serbia finished with eighty-nine points after four different periods. The strongest came immediately after half-time. Bulgaria's sixty-two points reflected one damaging quarter against the Serbian defence.

The final score showed a comfortable victory rather than an easy afternoon. Bulgaria had remained within six points at the interval. Serbia earned the wide margin through a decisive response.

Denmark stands between Serbia and ninth place

Serbia now faces Denmark in the bracket for ninth through twelfth place. A victory would move the juniors into the match for ninth. A defeat would send them toward the eleventh-place game.

Denmark presents a new style after the meetings with Greece and Bulgaria. Serbia enters the game with confidence from a strong second half. The injury situation remains an important part of the available rotation.

The Bulgaria result provided several positive references before that contest. Serbia scored through different players and defended with greater intensity. Gnjato also led the attack during Serbia's strongest period.

The next goal is a place in the highest remaining classification match. Serbia reached that opportunity through an 89-62 victory. One dominant quarter supplied the decisive difference in Rovereto.

Serbia decided the match after half-time

The match in Rovereto captured two different Serbian performances. The first half remained competitive and Bulgaria stayed within reach. The second half began with a complete change of defensive pressure.

That response matters after the disappointment of losing to Greece. Serbia could no longer compete for a place in the quarter-finals. The players still approached the next game with energy and concentration.

The earlier defeat removed Serbia from the quarter-final race. The remaining bracket now determines the final position. Denmark is Serbia's next opponent in that bracket.

Serbia played its best basketball during the third quarter. Aggressive defence created faster attacks and chances for several players. That period created the decisive margin in the 89-62 victory.