Artem Pustovyi Announces Retirement from National Team
Artem Pustovyi, captain of the Ukrainian national basketball team, has announced his retirement from international competition. His final game for Ukraine was against Spain, where he grabbed 4 rebounds. This performance brought his career total to 182 rebounds, moving him past Leonid Yailo (180 rebounds) and into the top 10 for rebounds in Ukrainian national team history. His departure marks the end of a significant chapter for a player who has been a cornerstone of the squad.
Ukraine's World Cup Qualifying Campaign
The Ukrainian national team continues its campaign to qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In the fourth qualifying round, the team suffered a 78:64 defeat to Spain. This followed a previous 86:66 loss to Spain in the third round. However, Ukraine secured an 88:71 victory over Denmark in the second round and began the qualification tournament with a 92:79 win against Georgia. The team's performance in these qualifiers is being closely watched as they aim for a spot in the prestigious global tournament.
In the victory over Georgia, Oleksandr Kovliar was the top scorer with 31 points. Viacheslav Bobrov also made a significant contribution, recording a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. The scoring statistics for Ukrainian players in the recent game against Spain were as follows:
- Lukashov - 6 points
- Kovliar - 11 points
- Tkachenko - 4 points
- Voinarovych - 12 points
- Skapintsev - 4 points
- Lypovyy - 8 points
- Bobrov - 7 points
- Pustovyi - 3 points
- Tyrtyshnyk - 7 points
- Shelist - 2 points
- Sushkin - 2 points
The all-time rebounding leaders for the Ukrainian national team are now ranked as follows:
- 1. Viacheslav Kravtsov – 383
- 2. Viacheslav Bobrov – 303
- 3. Serhii Lishchuk – 295
- 4. Oleksandr Okunskyi – 263
- 5. Oleksandr Lokhmanchuk – 251
- 6. Oleksandr Lypovyy – 234
- 7. Maksym Korniienko – 220
- 8. Denys Lukashov – 211
- 9. Artur Drozdov – 197
- 10. Artem Pustovyi – 182
Artem Pustovyi's retirement will leave a notable void in Ukrainian basketball, particularly given his achievements on the boards. He has been a key figure for the national side, and his absence will challenge the team's dynamics in future qualifying matches. As the squad continues its push for the 2027 World Cup, finding a way to compensate for the loss of one of its best rebounders will be a crucial task for the coaching staff.