Serbian Women's NT 2023

    Quote from Steven12453

    I just saw the full game and I can say you that she is really near to her old good shape. And I say near because I am thinking the level of the opponent and the fact that her power was not exactly like before but sure much better than before ( I am not sure about that power think maybe it it in my mind). For sure she is coming back and she will be really useful if she is playing like this. In the match she had not error or blocked and if the setter was better probably she could end the match with maybe 70%. But anyway she scored a lot and and she hit oos.


    the full match (13) Liaoning 辽宁 🆚 Zhejiang 浙江 | Women's Rd 1 | Pool B | 23-24 China Volleyball League - YouTube


    link for her highlights for the whole match (13) Brankica Mihajlović Liaoning VS Zhejiang Volleyball Chinese League 2023/24 - YouTube

    I really really really think she could take Serbia to another level…. Boskovic is at a complete new level and imagine her with an in form Brankica and maja setting both like the good old days

    Quote from Steven12453

    I also believe it but who is going to hold the reception??? For some time now that Busa can not receive like before.

    Busa can receive. Plus Brankica has improved in reception a lot. She isn’t gonna pass like Gabi but she can hold her own. Plus Pusic and Jegdic are both great liberos and with Boskovic and Mihajlovic on court passing doesn’t matter as much but I’m not too worried. Busa and Pusic/Jegdic are up to the task

    Quote from Madden54

    Busa can receive. Plus Brankica has improved in reception a lot. She isn’t gonna pass like Gabi but she can hold her own. Plus Pusic and Jegdic are both great liberos and with Boskovic and Mihajlovic on court passing doesn’t matter as much but I’m not too worried. Busa and Pusic/Jegdic are up to the task

    Who do you think will lost their spot in Olympics roster if brankica gets called?

    Quote from serdar

    Who do you think will lost their spot in Olympics roster if brankica gets called?

    I believe Bjelica. Otherwise one of the OH. Maybe could be even someone from the roster from the last season because if you think that they are going to use Brankica then they will be need stronge reception and for this reason probably Milenkovic will return. Also a lot of things depends on how good will be the new OH. There are two yound Serbians who are really good and they probably can win a place in the roster ( one is Tica and I do not remember the other).

    Quote from Steven12453

    I believe Bjelica. Otherwise one of the OH. Maybe could be even someone from the roster from the last season because if you think that they are going to use Brankica then they will be need stronge reception and for this reason probably Milenkovic will return. Also a lot of things depends on how good will be the new OH. There are two yound Serbians who are really good and they probably can win a place in the roster ( one is Tica and I do not remember the other).

    Bjelica for sure will be cut if there is 12 player roster. The other one would probably be one of Uzelac/Lozo as Busa is locked as starter and Lazovic as defense sub most likely.

    Depending on VNL and Milenkovic’s shape she might be added instead of someone, but her performance during VNL this year was distater, she was getting aced and giving negative reception left and right.. if she is in good shape for VNL she might be taken as def sub.


    Kurtagic is sure cut for Paris if 3 other MBs are healthy. And Bjelica is other most obvious since Brankica can play OP if really needed. There won’t be any easy games so Tijana is unlikely to be rested for any game, and it’s max of 6 games so not impossible for main squad to play all games.


    There are more then few youngsters for OH position, besides Uzelac.. Tica and Ivanovic amongst most prominent. Realistically Tica and Ivanovic will be tried in VNL hopefully, but it’s hard to expect them to take someone’s place for Paris when even Uzelac is not 100% sure now even if she was starter this year.

    Tica/Vajagic OH duo will play against Milano tomorrow night to there is chance to see them, plus Osmajic (MB).. They are all 03/04 gen, same as Uzelac.

    Quote from serdar

    Who do you think will lost their spot in Olympics roster if brankica gets called?

    Bjelica or Uzelac/Lozo

    also boskovic height is now listed at 6 foot 5 haha. Did she grow? lol

    also to be completely honest theres no reason to bring back up opposite to the olympics. If god forbid something happened to boskovic gold is out of the question anyway might as well bring more depth in other areas

    Jovana Zelenovic, the 200 cm tall 19-year old OPP, is currently dominating for Zeleznicar in the domestic league and has scored a lot in CEV Cup as well. In the games vs Red Star Belgrade and Srem she was the best scorer with 24 pts in both games. And she was the best scorer aginst Brno in the first game of their rubber battle in CEV Cup. One might assume OG 2024 is too early for Zelenovic, but perhaps she will be the heir to the Boskovician throne in the future. Some Serbian users on the forum are quite possibly a lot more familiar with her game than myself. Dont you think this woman should be able to go abroad into a better pro league such as the Polish or French quite soon?


    https://women.volleybox.net/jovana-zelenovic-p33793

    Quote from Altinli

    They mean that she was a player of the Bosnian federation and their league, her sister represented the country and I think her brother does also represent Bosnia but I think Boskovic got an early transfer to Serbia, she didn't represent BiH ever on the international scene from what I am aware.

    Her brother Vuk Boskovic represents Serbia in bball. https://www.fiba.basketball/eu…/2023/player/Vuk-Boskovic

    Quote from hakin12

    Jovana Zelenovic, the 200 cm tall 19-year old OPP, is currently dominating for Zeleznicar in the domestic league and has scored a lot in CEV Cup as well. In the games vs Red Star Belgrade and Srem she was the best scorer with 24 pts in both games. And she was the best scorer aginst Brno in the first game of their rubber battle in CEV Cup.


    This woman, who has shined in a lot of youth/junior comps for Serbia NT, is like a taller and heavier version of Boskovic. She is, outside of very tall, possibly twice the size of Markova in terms of width. Her biceps are massive and she hits with commanding force. Perhaps OG 2024 is too early for Zelenovic, but perhaps she will be the heir to the Boskovician throne in the future. Some Serbian users on the forum are quite possibly a lot more familiar with her game than myself.


    https://women.volleybox.net/jovana-zelenovic-p33793

    she went off vs Thailand at VNL in 2022 but I never thought she had real Potential bc she was big and slow but she looks so much more athletic now and much better

    Quote from hakin12

    Jovana Zelenovic, the 200 cm tall 19-year old OPP, is currently dominating for Zeleznicar in the domestic league and has scored a lot in CEV Cup as well. In the games vs Red Star Belgrade and Srem she was the best scorer with 24 pts in both games. And she was the best scorer aginst Brno in the first game of their rubber battle in CEV Cup. One might assume OG 2024 is too early for Zelenovic, but perhaps she will be the heir to the Boskovician throne in the future. Some Serbian users on the forum are quite possibly a lot more familiar with her game than myself. Dont you think this woman should be able to go abroad into a better pro league such as the Polish or French quite soon?


    https://women.volleybox.net/jovana-zelenovic-p33793

    There was some doubt about her size and movement that people were unsure if she could perform on high level, so she was not seen as big prospect even after her great game against Thailand in VNL22 when she was 17yo.


    She had some power and height but that was all. She was big, slow and lacked accuracy and real power in her spikes to be Stysiak type of OP at least. Above everything else she had mental problems in her game and didn’t have the courage to attack OOS so she was mostly tiping or going for safe low power attacks.

    And her being bench player in her club didn’t help at all.


    She started shining only this season in her new club where she is starter. She is now in same club where Uzelac was before going abroad this season and enviorment seems to really suit her.

    The coach is not the most pleasant guy but he is willing to give chance to young players in the team and is very tolerant of mistakes until youngsters can find their own rythm, which is exactly what Zelenovic needed.. unlike her coach in previous team (Jedinstvo).


    Overall she got much much fitter this season, much faster in attack and she didn’t lose power while losing weight. She reminds me more of Akimova then Stysiak now. With all of that she is more comfortable taking difficult swings and has courage to make more risky shots like other high level OPs. She went from being bench player to carrying her team with >50% in attack in some games now.
    The one thing she is missing is shot selection and variety in attack.. but her down the line attack is now really accurate and with so much power that it is almost not defendable (for the level of our league ofc) when she is given a little space between wing blocker and antena.


    Overall, she has great speed for her height (not slow in any way) rly high reach, real power in attack and is great when there is space to make shots she is comfortable with, also great blocker.
    I think her chance for high level carrier will come down to how much more she can improve her variety in attack and also, maybe most imprtant, if she can sustain her level and improve while staying injury free, considering she is jumping high and moving fast for such big girl.


    I hope she can get even more athletic and improve her level even further and I’m excited to hopefully see her at VNL this year and possibly aborad next season (maybe it is too early cause this is her first good season in our league and it’s only the begining). Her and Taubner deserve a chance at VNL since Boskovic is 100% skipping tournament to rest for Paris this year.

    One of them is most likely to take Bjelica’s spot in NT after Paris for sure.


    Many thanks for the detailed response!

    Uzelac just had 32 points against number one team in Brazil (Minas) ! She is the top scorer of the league so far! Wow she is showing whole new level :) if she can play like this and aid Boskovic our chances of gold sky rocket :)

    Quote from Steven12453

    She is a really big talent for sure. Maybe some day will become a big star.

    with her development and the resurgence of a healthy brankica... things are looking better than they have been. It looks like we are gonna have someone to aid boskovic

    Uzelac finished as top scorer of Brazilian league in points and points per set in first half. She’s also passing 59 percent positive…. Brankica is also shredding the Chinese league and is healthy enough to jump serve again.