On Friday, December 19, only one legionnaire from the expanded list of the national basketball team of Ukraine played for his club. In the G-League, the Maine Celtics lost to the Western Group winner, the Salt Lake City Stars, in the quarterfinals of the Showcase winter tournament 107:123. Max Shulha started, played for 31 minutes, scoring 11 points (4/5 two-point shots, 1/7 three-point shots, 0/1 free throws), made 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals with 4 turnovers and 2 fouls.
In total, Shulha has played in 13 matches this season, averaging 33 minutes and scoring 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.
Next, the Maine Celtics will play against the winner of the Southern Group, the Austin Toros Spurs, for 5th-8th place in the tournament on December 21.
Successful start of the national team
As reported, the men's national team triumphantly held a nominally home match of the second round of qualification for the FIBA World Cup 2027, winning 88:71 against Denmark. After two matches, Ukraine is among the top two teams in the group. The next qualifying window will take place in February 2026. Recall that the Ukrainian national team confidently started their performances in the qualifying rounds for the 2027 World Championship, winning their first match against the national team of Georgia. Oleksandr Kovlyar was the most productive player in the match, scoring 31 points in 37 minutes on the court. Oleksandr Lypovyy added 13 points, while Vyacheslav Bobrov achieved a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.
Match result Georgia - Ukraine
Georgia - Ukraine 79:92 (23:15, 25:28, 13:23, 18:26). Ukraine: Kovlyar 31 + 6 rebounds + 6 assists, Tkachenko 8, Lypovyy 13, Bobrov 11 + 15 rebounds, Pustovyi 10 + 5 rebounds – starters; Voinalovych 7, Novytskyi 6 + 4 rebounds, Sushkin 4, Kovalov 2, Tyrtyshnyk 0.
Ukrainian basketball players continue their successful performances, achieving victories both in international tournaments and in the qualifying rounds for world competitions. The national team demonstrates a high level of preparation and professionalism in every match, contributing to the popularization of basketball in Ukraine and enhancing its international status.