MKD - Bo arrives; Samardziski new captain

ATLANTA (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) – One of the vital ingredients for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is at last with the team as it puts the finishing touches on preparations for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

Bo McCalebb is in Atlanta, Georgia, where the national team has just played in a couple of a practice games against combined United States college sides.

A lightning-quick guard who made the all-tournament team at EuroBasket 2011 after helping FYROM into the Semi-Finals in Lithuania, McCalebb wasn’t able to reunite with the team because his club side,  Montepaschi Siena, was in the Italian play-offs.

McCalebb did his part as Montepaschi clinched a 4-1 triumph over Olimpia Milano in the Lega A title series and then quickly crossed the Atlantic to join up with the national side.

There has been an important development in the squad, meanwhile, with Pero Antic handing the captain’s armband to Predrag Samardziski.

Antic and the others believe that Samardziski, a center, is the ideal man to lead a new generation of FYROM stars.

“It is a great honor,” Samardziski said.

“I hope I will justify this decision, the trust of the whole team.”

Friendly games

In their friendly games in Atlanta, FYROM lost the first, 81-79, but won the second, 97-87.

“The results of these games are not a priority,” national team coach Marjan Lazovski said.

“We are still preparing for the climax in Venezuela so we are trying to find our best form and our best combinations on the floor.

“We’re still in an acclimatization period due to the fact that these are the first official games that a (F.Y.R. of) Macedonian national team plays on non-European soil.

“We played two very good and very competitive matches in Atlanta.

“We’re progressing day by day.

“The core of the team is getting together physically and mentally.”

In the first game, Todor Gecevski poured in 21 points, Vojdan Stojanovski 14 and Predrag Samardziski 13 while in the second, Gecevski had 22 points, Damjan Stojanovski 15 and Samardziski 14.

Point guard Vlado Ilievski, meanwhile, is hoping that he and his teammates can build on their magnificent 2011.

Hardly anyone expected FYROM to upset Lithuania in the Quarter-Finals and ultimate finish fourth to clinch a spot in the OQT.

“We have never been so strong before,” Ilievski said.

“We firmly believe that we will go to London.”

FYROM squad for FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament: Bo McCalebb, Vlado Ilievski, Pero Antic, Todor Gecevski, Gjorgji Cekovski, Vojdan Stojanovski, Damjan Stojanovski, Darko Sokolov, Marko Simonovski, Kiril Nikolovski, Aleksandar Kostovski and Predrag Samardziski.

FIBA