Ukraine vs. Angola: A Friendly Match Recap
In a tightly contested exhibition game, Ukraine’s men’s national basketball team suffered a narrow 92-93 defeat to Angola. The match was part of their preparation for the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Svyatoslav Mykhailiuk led all scorers with 22 points.
The game was a rollercoaster from start to finish. The first quarter ended in a 22-22 tie, and Ukraine managed to build a slim 48-45 lead by halftime. The third quarter saw Ukraine surge ahead by as many as 17 points, leading 65-48, but Angola responded with a 10-0 run to close the gap. Heading into the final quarter, Ukraine still held an 72-64 advantage. However, Angola mounted a comeback in the fourth, sealing the win on a close-range shot by player Dundao.
Player Statistics
Here are the individual stats for Ukraine in the match against Angola:
- Denys Lukashov — 7 points and 9 assists
- Ivan Tkachenko — 8 points and 3 assists
- Svyatoslav Mykhailiuk — 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists
- Dmytro Skapintsev — 10 points and 8 rebounds
- Andriy Voinalovych — 7 points
- Bobrov — 13 points and 4 assists
- Kobzystyi — 8 points
- Kovalyov — 5 points
- Klychko — 4 points
- Shelist — 3 points
- Bublyk — 3 points
- Suchkin — 1 point
- Tyrtychnyk — 1 point
Ukraine’s next friendly match is scheduled for June 28 against Lithuania, with tip-off set for 7:30 PM Kyiv time.
It’s worth noting that Ukraine has already played several games in the World Cup qualifiers. In the fourth round, they lost to Spain 64-78, and in the third round, they suffered a heavy 66-86 defeat. The team secured wins in earlier matches, beating Denmark 88-71 in the second round and Georgia 92-79 in the first. Oleksandr Kovliar was the top scorer in the Georgia game, dropping 31 points.
This exhibition loss highlights certain weaknesses in the Ukrainian squad, particularly their difficulty in maintaining a lead. The upcoming game against Lithuania will be a crucial test for the national team as they continue preparing for the remaining qualifiers. Past results suggest that Ukraine needs to refine its gameplay to improve its chances in the FIBA World Cup qualification campaign.
As Ukraine prepares for its next friendly match against Lithuania, fans can catch all the action live. In addition to this upcoming game, Kyivstar TV will broadcast the men's basketball team's matches for free, providing an excellent opportunity to support the team as they aim to bounce back from recent challenges in the qualifiers.