A show of strength that sends a clear message to its opponents in the Pre-Olympic is the way in which Croatia closed and won the friendly tournament in Opatija. A resounding success against Brazil, with a score of 91:81, was in fact the exclamation point of the triangular tournament which also involved Poland, which finished third with two defeats in two matches played.
The match was decided by a second half as protagonist for Croatia, which first put its nose ahead with a 12:0 run at the beginning of the third quarter, and then built a double-digit lead in the final period, thanks to a further partial of 9:2.
Crucial for the home team was notable defensive aggression in the third quarter, with seven turnovers also caused thanks to three steals, as well as good defense on the perimeter in the final period, with Brazil held to 25% from long range distance.
Mario Hezonja stratospheric
An extraordinary performance to say the least by Mario Hezonja, author of 39 points, was also a key element of the match, in which the Real Madrid player was unstoppable for his opponents.
Dario Šarić, again for coach Josip Sesar’s team, added 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, while Ivica Zubac also came close to a double double with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Brazil side, coached by Aco Petrović, worth mentioning are the 16 points and 6 rebounds scored by Bruno Caboclo. Raul Neto also added 13 points, while Marcelinho Huertas scored 11 points.
Next engagement: Pre-Olympic
At the Pre-Olympic, Croatia will face Slovenia and New Zealand in the tournament organized in Piraeus, while Brazil will meet Montenegro and Cameroon in the triangular tournament which will take place in Riga.
Poland, however, will participate in the Pre-Olympic in Valencia, where they will face Finland and the Bahamas.
Summary of the match followed
Croatia vs. Brazil 91:81 – statistics
Summary of matches of the Opatija tournament
Croatia vs. Poland 82:68
Poland vs. Brazil 75:91
Croatia vs. Brazil 91:81
Ranking of the international tournament in Opatija
Croatia 2-0
Brazil 1-1
Poland 0-2
Matteo Cazzulani
In the photo: Mario Hezonja. Credits: Mario Sušić / HKS
