Montenegro U16 vs Netherlands U16

Montenegro entered the fourth quarter with a 64-54 lead and seemingly in control, having led for 35 minutes and 19 seconds of the game. Netherlands had held the lead for just 3:47. But a 15-0 scoring run — the game's largest — swung momentum decisively. Montenegro managed only one field goal in the final six minutes and scored just seven points in the quarter, their lowest output of any period by a wide margin.

Netherlands' three-point shooting (34.8%) compared to Montenegro's (15%) proved the decisive statistical gap, especially in the fourth quarter when the Dutch needed to score quickly.

Ilija Radovic (Montenegro) — The top-rated player of the game with an efficiency rating of 24. He led all scorers and was Montenegro's primary offensive threat throughout the first three quarters.

James Stuffken (Netherlands) — Efficiency rating of 21. Stuffken sparked the Netherlands' fourth-quarter surge and was instrumental in the comeback.

Netherlands' three-point shooting — The Dutch hit 34.8% from beyond the arc while Montenegro managed just 15%, a margin that ultimately decided a game decided by three points.

Montenegro shot better from two-point range (55.1% to 46.5%) and from the free-throw line (61.5% to 52.6%), but Netherlands' advantage from deep (34.8% to 15%) was the great equaliser. The shooting splits tell the story of a game where Montenegro dominated the paint and the first three quarters, while Netherlands' perimeter shooting and defensive clampdown in the fourth flipped the outcome.

Montenegro led for 35:19 of game time; Netherlands led for just 3:47. There were only three lead changes and one tie — all occurring when Netherlands finally overtook Montenegro in the fourth.

Netherlands finish fifth in the 22-team Division B field with a 6-2 tournament record. Montenegro end in sixth place at 4-3. Both teams had already been eliminated in the quarter-finals — Montenegro lost to eventual runners-up Iceland 91-69, while Netherlands fell to champions Croatia 80-51.

Croatia won the Division B title with a 69-67 victory over Iceland, earning promotion alongside finalists Iceland and bronze medallists Estonia. Netherlands and Montenegro will remain in Division B for the next edition.

A game of two distinct halves — or rather three quarters versus one. Montenegro controlled the game for 30 minutes but ran out of answers when Netherlands turned up the defensive intensity and started hitting from deep in the fourth. A painful finish to a solid tournament for Montenegro; a fittingly resilient close for the Netherlands.