Ukrainian Basketball Achievements
While the Ukrainian national team secured a crucial victory in its 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign, the country's players abroad delivered a mixed bag of results in recent European club action. The national team's success highlights a growing presence for Ukraine on the international basketball stage, a sport that continues to gain popularity at home.
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Playing for MoraBank Andorra, Artem Pustovyi suffered a 75:107 defeat to Valencia. In his 15 minutes on court, he contributed 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
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Oleksii Len, with Real Madrid, managed 4 points in nearly 7 minutes of play.
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Daniil Shelest, playing for Oviedo in Spain's second division, logged 20 minutes, scoring 4 points, grabbing 2 rebounds, making 1 assist, and securing 3 steals.
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Pavlo Krutous saw 4 minutes of action for Melilla.
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Oleksandr Kovliar, competing for Buducnost in the Adriatic League, played 18 minutes, adding 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal.
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Ivan Tkachenko, representing Zadar in the Croatian championship, played 28 minutes, posting 11 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block.
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Vitalii Zotov delivered a strong performance for Kapfenberg Bulls in the Austrian league, playing 34 minutes and recording 16 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals.
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Viacheslav Bobrov, playing for Dinamo Bucharest in the Romanian Cup, was on court for 25 minutes, scoring 10 points, securing 7 rebounds, and making 1 steal and 1 block.
Ukraine's 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifying Campaign
Simultaneously, the Ukrainian national team demonstrated its strength in the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, defeating Denmark 88:71. This win followed an earlier victory over Georgia, which ended 79:92. After two games, Ukraine sits among the top two teams in its group. The next qualifying window is scheduled for February 2026.
In the match against Georgia, the Ukrainian team put on a strong display, with key contributions from:
- Oleksandr Kovliar - 31 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists;
- Ivan Tkachenko - 8 points;
- Oleksandr Lipovyi - 13 points;
- Viacheslav Bobrov - 11 points, 15 rebounds;
- Artem Pustovyi - 10 points, 5 rebounds.
The team continues to advance confidently toward its goal on the world stage.
These results point to the rising strength of the Ukrainian national team in international basketball, which could positively influence the sport's popularity within Ukraine.
Success in the qualifying stages, particularly the win over Georgia, underscores the team's potential and readiness for serious competition. The upcoming qualifiers in February 2026 will be a critical phase for the team's development and its chances of reaching the World Cup.