Klemen Prepelič returns to the opening match of Slovenian preparations
2022-08-04T22:20:39+00:00
2022-08-04T22:20:39+00:00
2022-08-04T22:44:16+00:00.
Eurohoops.net
Antonis Stroggylakis
By the Eurohoops team/ [email protected]
Valencia guard Klemen Prepelič returned after a long absence due to injury as his Slovenian national team beat the Netherlands 83-76 to complete the warm-up games ahead of the 2023 World Cup and EuroBasket 2022 qualifiers.
Prepelič scored 11 points and five rebounds in 17 minutes, while Žiga Dimec scored 12 points and six rebounds for Slovenia. Luka Dončić, Goran Dragić and Mike Tobey were not included in the 12-man squad.
Worthy De Jong led the Dutch with 26 points.
It was Prepelič’s first game since March and after undergoing season-ending surgery on a broken hand. The 29-year-old player was initially questionable for participation in the Slovenian summer tournaments, but his rehabilitation progressed better than expected and he managed to join his national team in the fight to defend the crown at EuroBasket.
Prepelič was crucial for Slovenia at EuroBasket 2017, as he averaged 13.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists to help his team win the gold medal.
In the second preseason game on Thursday, Lithuania beat Estonia 84-70 behind Martynas Echodas’ 15 points. Kristianas Kullamae scored 15 points for Estonia.