Croatia thinking U19 podium, revenge against Turkey

ZAGREB (2015 FIBA U19 World Championship) - Croatia head into the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship possibly as the most talented team and knowing they might have two showdowns with the United States even before the Final.

Of course a podium finish is on their mind but a bit of revenge against Turkey would do just fine as well. 

Croatia have been drawn with the United States in Group A and power forward Marko Arapovic knows the defending champions will be a very strong team in Greece.

"When it comes to it, the USA is always the USA. Whoever they choose to bring there, they will be really good," said Arapovic. 

The Cedevita big man admitted he is actually very much looking forward to playing the United States, especially after narrowly missing the chance at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship, where Croatia lost in the Semi-Finals to Australia.

"I haven't had the opportunity to play against the USA. We were really hoping to go to the [U17 Worlds] Final to play against them. And I'm really looking forward to it now."

Arapovic is part of a very strong Croatian group, including his Cedevita teammate Lovro Mazalin, who might miss the U19 Worlds because of a finger injury. But the Croatian team also includes Dragan Bender, Nik Slavica, Ante Zizic, Luka Bozic and Ivica Zubac.

And that has the Balkan side thinking a top-three spot, which Croatia last achieved with their third-place finish in 2009 - followed by two eighth-placed finishes.

"We're aiming at the podium. We have to get there. We really have a good team and we've been together for three years and we are a really good group of guys on and off the court," Arapovic explained. 

"That's surely something that will help us."

Arapovic admitted that the team has an extra motivation going into the U19 Worlds, where they are joined by Iran and Egypt in Group A. 

There's the matter of last summer's U18 European Championship, where Croatia were rolling undefeated into the Semi-Finals and thinking about the second U18 crown in three years. But then the hosts Turkey clipped them in the semis and ended up winning the title. And Croatia were left to bounce back to salvage the third spot on the podium.

"It hurts," Arapovic said. "That was our championship. We hadn't lost yet and they just scored everything. Whatever they threw up there, we thought no way it was going in and it went in. I still remember every second of that game… It's a game that hurts for sure."

Turkey are in Group B and if both Croatia and Turkey finish in the two top of their respective groups, it could be that they meet in the Final. Arapovic did not shy away from saying Croatia would love to get another crack at the Turks.

"For sure, that's what we want. We really want to play against them and get our revenge back."

FIBA