Polina Tupalo Secures Victory at the Latvian U-19 Championship
Polina Tupalo, a player for both the senior and youth national teams of Ukraine, helped her club RBS Centrs claim the Latvian U-19 championship title. In the final game of the 2025/26 youth season, RBS Centrs defeated Ridzene with a score of 82–71. Although Tupalo did not score during her 11 minutes on the court, she contributed significantly with 9 rebounds (3 offensive), 2 blocks, 1 assist, and 3 personal fouls.
Across the Latvian U-19 season, Tupalo averaged the following stats per game:
- 7.9 points
- 4.2 rebounds
- 2.5 steals
- 1.4 assists
- 1.1 blocks
over 19 minutes in 13 appearances. This victory marks a key milestone for both the youth squad and Tupalo, who continues to sharpen her skills on the international stage.
Ukraine's Men's National Team Results
Meanwhile, Ukraine's men's basketball team lost to Spain in the fourth round of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA World Cup. The final score was 78–64 in favor of Spain. The Ukrainian side fought hard but could not overcome their opponent. In the third qualifying round, Ukraine also fell to Spain, 66–86. However, in the second round, Ukraine secured a win against Denmark, 88–71, and in the first qualifying match for the World Cup, they beat Georgia 92–79. Oleksandr Kovliar was the top scorer in the Georgia game, netting 31 points over 37 minutes.
These outcomes highlight the ongoing development of young Ukrainian basketball talents like Polina Tupalo, alongside the men's team's efforts in World Cup qualifying. For context, Ukraine's basketball programs are increasingly focusing on youth development to build a stronger pipeline for international competition.
Both stories underscore the importance of nurturing youth basketball in Ukraine, where emerging players gain valuable experience on the world stage. While the men's team has faced challenges in qualifiers, they continue to compete hard. Moving forward, both squads need to keep refining their skills and aiming for better results in future tournaments.
The recent success of Polina Tupalo and the U-19 team highlights the importance of developing young players in Ukraine, especially as the men's national team faces challenges in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers. For a deeper look at the current state of Ukraine's men's basketball and their prospects after the latest matches against Spain, you can explore the full analysis here.