Serbia turned a competitive start into a comfortable 102-73 victory over Iceland on Friday in Belgrade, taking control of their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers with a decisive second-quarter surge.
Iceland had the better of the opening minutes and led by five early, but Serbia’s response changed the game. With 9:49 remaining in the second quarter, Nemanja Dangubić buried a three-pointer to put Serbia ahead 28-27, just like old times.
From there, team Serbia steadily imposed their pace. The hosts went on a 7-2 run during the key stretch around the end of the first and the beginning of the second quarter. Combining efficient shooting with disciplined ball security. The guests briefly found their footing after halftime during the third quarter. However, Serbia’s depth eventually proved itself to be decisive.
The young Nikola Tanasković was Serbia’s standout performer, scoring 23 points; a perfect 4/4from three-point range. His 15-point burst bridging the first and second quarters helped swing momentum firmly toward the hosts. The Belgrade crowd was loving the show.
Team Serbia saved their biggest statement at the Arena for the finish. A 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter, fueled by Nikola Jović and Nemanja Dangubić, stretched their advantage from 17 to 27 points and effectively ended any remaining doubts.
The home base was leading for nearly 32 minutes, pushing their advantage to 29 points before the final buzzer. The final score (102-73) shows the hosts’ offensive efficiency and tge ability to turn a close game into a rout.
“It may not have been pretty, but it was efficient”, concluded coach Dušan Alimpijević, postmatch. He went to explain the importance of the coaching staff, and the enormous player tenacity, as well as their mission to keep up the competitive continuity.
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