Crvena zvezda Open Preseason: 102-68 Win and the Puzzle of Six Missing Names

The 102-68 scoreline flashed on the board at Aleksandar Nikolić Hall, but I wasn't quick to celebrate for Crvena zvezda. Before anyone could name this victory a positive signal, I already saw its skeleton: a closed-door practice game, a clearly weaker opponent, and six key players sitting out. On nights without basketball, I turn to reading numbers – and these numbers need to be read with a skeptical eye. The context of this game is clear. This is the first test of coach Navarro's preparation period, a closed-door friendly with no spectators. The most important thing isn't the score but the absent list: Dobrić, Davidovac, Đurišić, Moneke, Izundu, and Kramer. These six names were missing for undisclosed reasons – could be minor injuries, could be rest, could be international duty. But this absence turned the game into a tryout for the second and third units, not a showcase of the main rotation. Digging into player data, Baldwin led with 23 points – an impressive number but one that must be contextualized against Mladost, a lower-tier side. Ojeleye scored 18, Nwora 16, Carter 12. Their scoring reflects the class gap between the two teams, not absolute ability. More noteworthy is that Jones and Wailer-Babb each recorded 8 assists – a sign of an active ball-movement system, but I need turnover data to truly assess the quality of those passes. Coach Navarro gave minutes to young players like Sava Đurić and Jovan Bikić. This is a deliberate decision: with six regulars absent, he didn't try to win at all costs but used the time to evaluate roster depth. Tactics aren't meant to be read but to be seen two moves ahead – and Navarro's move is clear: prioritizing long-term development over short-term results. But this is where I want to push back against the mainstream narrative. Many fans will look at the 34-point win and feel optimistic. I don't. What people call instinct, I call encoded traces – and the traces here show: this victory proves nothing about Crvena zvezda's real strength in the EuroLeague. Weak opponent, no crowd, no pressure, no real tactical system tested. If you take these numbers into a game against Real Madrid or Fenerbahçe, they would collapse immediately. I used to run on the court, now I run on charts – and on the chart, this game has very limited reference value. Baldwin's, Ojeleye's, and Nwora's points were scored in an environment without real pressure. Wait until they face the dense defenses of Europe's top clubs, where every pass is scrutinized and every shot must be released within a quarter-second – that's when we'll know their true value. The biggest question right now isn't who scored how many, but: how will the six absent players return? Their return will completely reshape the rotation and may reveal Navarro's true tactical preferences. If Dobrić and Davidovac come back in good shape, who gets pushed to the bench? If Moneke and Izundu – both big men – return, will Navarro experiment with small-ball lineups? Get a name wrong once, I build my own dictionary. And in that dictionary, the term 'preseason' is defined as: time to experiment, to build conditioning, to give young players opportunities – not time to assess a team's true strength. The 102-68 win over Mladost was a good practice session, an effective fitness test, but it says nothing about Crvena zvezda's prospects for the upcoming season. When the stands are empty, data is the only voice that remains. And the data from this game – whether Baldwin's 23 points or Jones' 8 assists – is telling us: wait. Wait until the regular season begins, until the key players return, until the opponents are the heavyweight names of the EuroLeague. That's when we can start talking about the true strength of this Belgrade club. The game against Mladost is just an opening note – and like any symphony, the opening note is rarely the most important one. Let's listen to the rest of the piece.