Alen Smailagic, Uros Trifunovic will miss the World Cup / News - Basketnews.com

Serbia won't be able to count on Alen Smailagic and Uros Trifunovic in the upcoming World Cup. However, coach Svetislav Pesic gave a positive update on Stefan Jovic.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

After the Acropolis Tournament,Serbia NT will travel to China for a couple of prep games against the local team (August 20) and Brazil (August 21).

Uros Trifunovic

Position:SF, SGAge:22Height:200 cmWeight:88 kgBirth place:Belgrade, SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

The Eagles will face the team coached by their former tactician Sasha Djordjevic in the World Cup premiere in the Philippines on August 26. The fourth member of Group B is South Sudan.

The squad coached by Svetislav Pesic came to Athens without Alen Smailagic and Uros Trifunovic who were undergoing therapy for injuries. The two players of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade, 22, had been sidelined for quite some time. Still, the Serbian camp had cherished the hope that they would still be able to make it.

Now, it seems that that's no longer the case.

"Unfortunately, we can't count on them," coach Svetislav Pesic said, before explaining that Smailagic had a severe viral illness.

"He managed to save himself, but lost six or seven kilos and couldn't join practice at all."

Trifunovic, on the other hand, is carrying a long-term injury. "He tried to practice, but couldn't continue," Pesic said. "I'm sorry, they are good guys, but I hope we qualify for the Olympics, so they will have another chance," the veteran tactician said before the team's trip to Asia.

The good news is that Stefan Jovic has joined practices after being out for a long time.

"His knowledge and experience must mean a lot to this young team. He brings us security. We are waiting for him to come in the physical form that is needed for a tournament like the World Cup," Pesic continued.

Nemanja Nedovic has been added to the absences, as the guard deemed he's not in the best shape to perform as he would like to in the World Cup. Serbia faces Puerto Rico this evening with a newcomer in Nikola Topic, the FIBA European Championship MVP. But that doesn't mean the former Crvena Zvezda guard will be in the Philippines.

"He's a great player, he deserves to be one of the best players in the world. Of course, he also learns from the older players and helps them, Pesic said. "He's here to help."

That leaves 14 players on Pesic's list:

Stefan Jovic Aleksa Avramovic Bogdan Bogdanovic Marko Guduric Vanja Marinkovic Aleksa Radanov Ognjen Dobric Dejan Davidovac Filip Petrusev Nikola Jovic Dusan Ristic Nikola Milutinov Borisa Simanic Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.