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August 2016
7 Bogdan Bogdanovic (SRB)
19/08/2016
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Let's do it again! Round 2: Serbia v Australia

RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Serbia head into their Olympic Semi-Final against Australia having already proven in the Sasha Djordjevic coaching era that they can be a tough team to beat twice in a tournament.

In his first summer at the helm, at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, Serbia lost in the Group Phase to both Brazil and France but then beat both in the knockout round before reaching the Final.

With that in mind, no one in the Boomers camp should place too much importance on the result of the first game between these two sides, a 95-80 Australia win on 8 August.

"It's hard to get someone twice in the tournament," Serbia shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic said ahead of the rematch. "I hope that we play much better against them than in the group phase."

"I hope that we'll be more relaxed and mentally ready for the fight." - Djordjevic

Serbia and Australia engaged in a real battle the first time, a game that had spectacular plays and lead changes.

Djordjevic's team was on top, 67-64, with 8:36 remaining but the Boomers drew to within one point shortly after with an emphatic Aron Baynes dunk and then took the lead for good when Pat Mills drove into the lane and made a lay-up.

Over the last four minutes of the game, Australia outscored Serbia 18-9 and walked off the court with a big margin of victory.

Mills had 26 points in Australia's win over Serbia

Serbia did not get much from their young center Nikola Jokic, who started the Olympics slowly. He finished with 7 points and 3 rebounds against the Boomers.

Jokic later showed what he is capable of in Serbia's 94-91 defeat to the USA, scoring 25 points. 

"We fought 37, 38 minutes," Jokic said of the first game against Australia, "then they went into a higher gear and we didn't."

Each of these teams is loaded with talent and has good chemistry.

Australia certainly have one of the best backcourts in international basketball. NBA guards Matthew Dellavedova and Mills are averaging a combined 31.5ppg and drilling plenty of three-pointers.

Mills is 17-of-43 (39.5 percent) from long range and Dellavedova is 7-of-13 (53.8 percent). The latter started the 90-64 Quarter-Final romp over Lithuania with back-to-back three-pointers.

Dellavedova, a title-winning playmaker with the Cleveland Cavaliers this past season in the NBA, averaged more than 10 assists through Australia's first three games against France, Serbia and the USA. He had 23 points and 13 assists in the game against Serbia. Mills is the second leading scorer in the tournament at 21.2 points.

With Andrew Bogut, Baynes and David Andersen, Australia have plenty of size.


Both Australia and Serbia have solid frontlines

Serbia have their own impressive duo up front in Miroslav Raduljica and Jokic, and great guards in Milos Teodosic, Bogdanovic, Stefan Markovic and Stefan Jovic.

Djordjevic says that the Boomers showed "strength, physicality and speed" and were worthy winners the first time. He just wants his own team to be at its best when they meet again.

"I hope that we'll be more relaxed and mentally ready for the fight," he said.

FIBA