Stojanovski after loss to Croatia: 'We must think positively, hold our heads high'
U16 head coach praised the team's effort and called on fans to fill the 26 April Hall for the match against Switzerland.
North Macedonia's U16 coach Dejan Stojanovski praised his players' effort despite their defeat to Croatia, highlighting a strong first half and a combative defensive display that, he said, gives the team reason for optimism.
What the coach said
Stojanovski told reporters that the squad "had a good first half, the players left their heart on the court, and that was the most important thing. From the basketball elements we again lacked discipline and better ball distribution. We got into too many one-on-one situations."
He added that the team showed the right approach, especially on defence, but that bench depth limited their ability to sustain the same intensity for the full 40 minutes: "Unfortunately, we don't have enough depth on the bench to keep that tempo for all 40 minutes."
Stojanovski congratulated the players for their fighting spirit and underlined the level of the opponent: "Croatia is one of the highest-quality teams in Europe, not only in this tournament." He said that with the same tempo and defensive commitment the team could compete against Switzerland and Ukraine.
The coach stressed the immediate priorities were recovery and correction: "Now it is very important that the players rest, and then we will analyse our mistakes. I am sure we will succeed in fixing them. We must look and think only positively, with our heads held high. And once again I would like to invite our supporters to help fill the hall even more and support the team."
North Macedonia will face Switzerland tomorrow, 10 August 2026, at 18:30 in the 26 April Hall.
Photo: press material from the event
