Podgorica Bemax made a sensation at the opening of the tournament by defeating Le Mans 57:49, and in the second game they were better than Finnish Elite Academy 74:66. Then in the quarterfinals they defeated Lions Academy from the Netherlands 92:82, and in the semifinals they also lost to Roan – 85:74. The dramatic final went to Canadian Polaris Prep Academy 83:80.
-An exceptional experience for our players. I am really pleased with the way we presented ourselves at an exceptionally strong tournament, which has a long tradition. It was not easy, because after a long journey we had five games in four days, but the boys really gave their maximum. We recorded four victories against exceptional clubs, which have a huge base, and in the final we had a shot for overtime, so the boys deserve congratulations. Having defeated, primarily French basketball giants like Roanne and Le Mans, it can be characterized as a sensation - said Stefan Milickovic, the coach of Podgorica Bemax juniors, for the club website.
Appearing at an exceptional international tournament is a big deal for younger players to experience strong matches, for the club to place itself on the European map and prove that working with young players is the main focus.
-Gratitude to the club for allowing us to have an invaluable experience. Being in the company of such clubs from all over the world is truly a special honor. We had the opportunity to play with teams that have different styles of basketball, and all of that will mean a lot to us – added Milickovic.
The tournament in Šole was for players under 19, and most of the Podgorica Bemax team is younger in age...
-We had mostly younger players in the rotation, but we didn't have a result imperative, but rather we wanted to provide the players with something new and for the club to show that it has exceptional potential - explained Milickovic, who has led all the younger teams in Podgorica, and this season he is leading the juniors.
With the Podgorica cadets, he won the championship title in 2024, and was also on the coaching staff of our cadet national team, which won fifth place at the European Championship.
The junior coach didn't forget his associates either.
-I owe a lot of gratitude to our coordinator Marko Sekulić, fitness coach Vasilije Dulović, as well as the chief operative Nikola Borilović, who made sure that everything went smoothly in terms of organization and that we left a great impression as a club. The guys were exemplary from day one and deserve congratulations for their behavior and attitude on the field. I believe that this European experience will be just the first in a series, because we have already received an invitation from the hosts to be part of the “World Cup” next year – Milicković proudly emphasized.
The following players played for Podgorica Bemax in this tournament: Nikita Stanković, Filip Rabrenović, Denil Krnić, Luka Vukadinović, Aleksa Ćupić, Pavle Mugoša, Marko Boljević, Stefan Jocović, Lazar Bajčeta, Jakša Blečić, Andrija Vulević and Vuk Vujačić.
