Despite a clear lead in the fourth quarter, Serbia failed to eliminate Team USA on Thursday night to reach the final.

The regrets are there among the Serbs, as is the anger.

The coach did not hesitate to attack the opponent and the refereeing.

France will face Team USA this Saturday night to try to obtain the gold medal.

A hell of a duel that could have been radically different a few minutes later.

With a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, Nikola Jokic’s Serbia was close to the feat, but it will have to settle for a bronze medal in the best-case scenario.

The regrets are immense for Serbia, who were still ahead in this game a few minutes from the end.

There is also anger, like the words of Bogdan Bogdanovic, very bitter after this defeat.

A feeling shared by many people, including coach Svetislav Pesic, who quickly attacked the refereeing in a press conference.

Serbia angry after defeat against Team USA
Unlike Canada, angry at the French team, it is not possible to blame a so-called “home” refereeing here, but Pesic is still very annoyed by the performance of the officials. His players did not get the respect they deserve according to him:

Svetislav Pesic: “I am angry because we were not respected by the referees.

You know in Serbia, there is a saying that says that the one who loses has the right to be angry. I am angry because we were not respected.

I have to say it, because the best player in the world only had 4 shots in 37 minutes. »

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As is often the case when we talk about refereeing, it is the free throws that are the subject of debate.

Would Jokic have deserved more from the officials? Yes for his coach, who did not like the final result and even implied certain things.

Pesic: “If our best scorer (Bogdan Bogdanovic) plays 32 minutes and he shoots a single free throw, that means that strange things are happening.

I am not trying to minimize their victory, I wish them good luck. But tonight, strange things happened.”

Potential cheating by the referees or simply officials far from the required level? Regardless, Pesic is furious after this result.

He believes that Serbia did not get the respect it deserves, particularly with fouls not called.

Pesic: “We were not respected, not as a basketball nation, but as a team.

I always tell my players that if they keep quiet, if you fight and keep things to yourself, the referees will reward you.

That didn’t happen tonight (Thursday, editor’s note).

That’s how a fantastic game ended.”

Even if Serbia will try to mobilize this Saturday for the bronze medal, there is clearly a certain bitterness towards the referees, far from being at the level according to the coach. And these are not the first criticisms of this kind in this tournament.