The naturalized point guard helped Serbia earn a berth to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She chats with us about her experience at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belém, Brazil.
Representing Serbia at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belém, Brazil, Yvonne Anderson averaged 19.3 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The energetic point guard was fearless and led Serbia to an Olympic berth thanks to a win over Brazil, and good games against Germany and Australia. While Serbia lost to both, they were competitive and close up until the very end. After the tournament, Anderson was kind enough to find the time to answer a couple of our questions.
In the first game against Germany, your shots aren’t going in, but you’re distributing, finding open teammates and with two and a half minutes to go, you’re up by four points. Then, Germany makes a 3 and the momentum shifts. Your team eventually loses, 73-66. What moments did you guys focus on after the game, what was the mood like and what did you do to remain positive, despite facing off against a tougher opponent, Brazil, the next day?
After the Germany game, I can admit the atmosphere was pretty glum. We knew we let a huge opportunity pass us, and obviously we regretted it. The huge thing for us was having a sense of urgency and playing as one unit, and in the end, both of those things are my responsibility. So I definitely took that loss as my own. I think we all went through different cycles of disappointment, anger, reflection, but finally desperation. I think sometimes that emotion is necessary to wake a team up, and remind them what exactly is at stake, and it definitely was for us.
How did your Saturday look like prior to the game? Did you know that something special was going to happen? Maybe during the shoot around you started “feeling it?”
My Saturday before the game consisted of a shoot around and a conversation with my coach. After that, everything was clear and I knew what I had to do. I promised my team that what happened against Germany wouldn’t happen again and I would be the leader I was supposed to be. That was enough for all of us.
Serbia opens the game 0-10. Then, you make your first shot and your team ends up winning the quarter, 23-20. Prior to the basket, were you like, “I need to do something, they seem to be more determined than us”?
In that environment, Brazil came in emotionally ready and made some shots and challenged us first. I know the saying about “punching someone in the face first,” and it’s just a matter of response. So I decided to respond. We didn’t panic; I just made sure my team followed me the rest of the game.
Eventually things fall into place and you keep your team’s lead relatively safe thanks to the clutch layup scored on Kamilla Cardoso, who’s 6-foot-8 and was the best Brazilian player that day. Can you take us through that play? Starting from you standing at mid-court and weighing your options.
I believe this play came after a huge offensive rebound by my teammate Ivana Raca. Anytime we get an offensive rebound and there isn’t an immediate shot or play solution, the ball comes back to me. I saw my defender was kind of sleeping (in my opinion), as was my screener’s defender. So I chose to use my speed, rejected the screen, did a quick change of direction and used a good downhill angle to my advantage. From there, I trusted she wouldn’t be able to catch me, and, fortunately for me, I made the correct read and finished.
On Sunday you’re playing against Australia and, in order to be calm about progressing to the Olympics, you need to win. You lose by two and now have to hope that Brazil doesn’t beat Germany by eight or more points. Can you tell us what happened immediately after the game? What was the mood in the locker room, and how did you watch the game between Brazil and Germany? Did you guys watch it together?
The Australia game, we definitely started with the urgency and aggressiveness that we were supposed to each game. But as with most good teams, Australia responded, and in the end we just didn’t have enough to get the win. Right after, the mood was more tired than anything, at least for me. But I truly believe in life that as long as you do your best in that moment—whatever your best is—and you give your all, we have to accept whatever the results are. So from there it was a waiting game. We stayed at the arena and watched as a team, and luckily for us things played out in our favor.
How did you celebrate with your teammates? How do you guys feel about your chances and what are the expectations?
My team went on the court and celebrated as a unit. Only we know what the journey has been the last three years, regrouping after the disappointment of the last Olympics and trying to write a new story. Not one part was easy, but God saw fit to allow us another chapter for this specific group with the Serbian national team and we’re grateful. I think the summer will be intense, and it will challenge us But when we show up to Paris, we will be as prepared as we can be to compete.
A special thank you to Lorenzo Gallotti of Two Points agency for arranging the interview.
