Zadar started their preparations for new season

The young players who trained with coach Stipe Modrić last week were joined by first-team players from last season, new signings Ivan Vučić and Ross Williams, and returnee Dario Drežnjak, while Vladimir Mihailović, who was given a few additional days of rest, and the injured young player Luka Bajković were absent. Of course, the center for whom the search is still ongoing was also missing, but that should be resolved soon as well.

“As you can see, we are not complete yet. We are working on bringing in a center, probably another player besides him as well, but we will deal with that later. I think the center is the priority, and we are in discussions to make that happen. I believe it will be resolved during this week. We are looking for a quick, athletic, vertical center. At the moment, we are talking about an American, but we are looking at players who suit us best, regardless of nationality. Once we get the center, we will see what comes next. We will leave some money in the budget for another big man or wing,” says Zadar head coach Stipe Modrić.

The opening days are reserved for testing and the start of work with the strength and conditioning coach, as well as sorting out the situation in the locker room, since there are currently 18 players in training, more than there will be on the final roster.

“I wanted to see the younger players this week, to assess who we can use, who will stay here, and who would be better off going out on loan so they can develop better. I am satisfied with what I have seen over these seven or eight days, but not everyone will make the first team. In conversations with them, we will see what is best for the club and for them. The worst thing would be for someone to stay here and not play.”

Zadar will traditionally play its first games at the Tomislav Knežević Memorial on August 29 and 30 this year, followed by the Liburnija Cup and several more preseason games, with opponents still to be determined depending on the ABA League schedule. Marko Ramljak will once again captain the team in those games this season.

The following players took part in the first practice: Bruno Baričević, Luka Bičić, Alexander Božiković, Luka Brajković, Lovro Buljević, Dario Drežnjak, Manuel Dundović, Luka Gulan, Luka Jerak, Krševan Klarica, Andro Mirčeta, Marko Ramljak, Niko Šare, Toni Torbarina, Ivan Vučić and Ross Williams. Vladimir Mihailović (rest) and Frane Bajković (injury) will join the team later.

Coaching staff: Stipe Modrić, Toni Dijan, Ivan Bais, Mario Mandir, Šime Gulan and Šime Srzentić.

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Zadar krenuo u pripreme na novu sezonu

U dvorani na Višnjiku danas su se okupili košarkaši Zadra s kojima će novi stožer krenuti u novu košarkašku sezonu. 

Mladim igračima koji su s trenerom Stipom Modrićem trenirali prošlog tjedna priključili su se prvotimci iz prošle sezone, novi igrači Ivan Vučić i Ross Williams, povratnik Dario Drežnjak, a nedostajali su Vladimir Mihailović, koji je dobio još nekoliko dana odmora, te od mlađih ozlijeđeni Luka Bajković. Naravno, i centar za kojim još uvijek traje potraga, ali i to bi uskoro trebalo biti riješeno.

"Kao što vidite, nismo još kompletni. Radimo na dovođenju centra, vjerojatno još jednog igrača osim njega, ali o tom potom. Mislim da je centar primaran i na nekim smo dogovorima da to realiziramo, vjerujem da će to biti riješeno tijekom ovog tjedna. Tražimo brzog, skočnog, vertikalnog centra, trenutačno govorimo o Amerikancu, ali gledamo igrače koji nam najviše odgovaraju, nevezano za nacionalnost. Kada dođemo do centra, vidjet ćemo što dalje, ostavit ćemo nešto novca iz budžeta za još jednog visokog ili krilnog igrača," kaže trener Zadra Stipe Modrić.

Početni dani rezervirani su za dijagnostiku i početak rada s kondicijskim trenerom, ali i raščišćavanje situacije u svlačionici, budući da je sada na pripremama 18 igrača, više nego će ih biti u konačnom rosteru.

"Htio sam ovog tjedna vidjeti mlađe igrače, da procijenimo koga možemo iskoristiti, tko će ostati tu, a kome je bolje da ide na posudbu, da se bolje razvija. Zadovoljan sam ovime što sam vidio u ovih sedam-osam dana, ali neće svi ući u prvu ekipu. U razgovoru s njima vidjet ćemo što je najbolje za klub i za njih. Najgore bi bilo da netko ostane tu, a da ne igra."

Prve utakmice Zadar će tradicionalno odigrati na Memorijalu Tomislav Knežević 29. i 30. kolovoza ove godine, nakon toga Liburnija kup i još nekoliko pripremnih utakmica za koje će se protivnici tek dogovoriti, ovisno o rasporedu ABA lige. Momčad će u te utakmice i ove sezone kao kapetan povesti Marko Ramljak.

Na prvom treningu okupili su se: Bruno Baričević, Luka Bičić, Alexander Božiković, Luka Brajković, Lovro Buljević, Dario Drežnjak, Manuel Dundović, Luka Gulan, Luka Jerak, Krševan Klarica, Andro Mirčeta, Marko Ramljak, Niko Šare, Toni Torbarina, Ivan Vučić i Ross Williams. Naknadno će se momčadi priključiti Vladimir Mihailović (pošteda) i Frane Bajković (ozljeda).

Stručni stožer: Stipe Modrić, Toni Dijan, Ivan Bais, Mario Mandir, Šime Gulan i Šime Srzentić.