Vitalii Chernii to Lead Ukrainian Women's 3x3 Basketball Team as Head Coach

Vitalii Chernii Appointed as Head Coach

According to Главком: Vitalii Chernii has been named the head coach of the Ukrainian women's 3x3 basketball team for the 2026 season. His extensive coaching background includes work with Ukrainian clubs and abroad. In the 2025/26 season, he led the women's team of Kyiv's Budivelnyk club to the Ukrainian championship title. Previously, Chernii coached the men's Budivelnyk team to a Ukrainian Cup victory in 2015. His career also includes stints with teams like Prometey, BC Kyiv, and Mykolaiv, where he guided a team to the Superleague semifinals.

International Experience and Coaching Staff

On the international stage, Chernii worked for the Lithuanian club Lietkabelis, serving as an assistant head coach and leading the team during EuroCup competitions. For the Ukrainian men's national team, he also held the role of assistant head coach under Yevhen Murzin and performed the duties of the national team's head coach.

Joining Chernii as assistants in the women's 3x3 national team coaching staff will be Yaroslav Kovalov and Roman Virastiuk.

The Ukrainian team is set to compete at the World Cup, taking place in Warsaw, Poland, from June 1 to 7, 2024. The women's 3x3 squad will play in Group D, facing the following opponents:

• France
• Canada
• Japan
• Lithuania

This will mark Ukraine's seventh appearance at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup. The team has a notable history in the tournament, having won silver in 2016 and bronze in 2017. However, last year the team was eliminated in the group stage without securing a single victory.

The appointment of Vitalii Chernii signals a new chapter for the Ukrainian women's 3x3 team, which aims to recapture its past international success. 3x3 basketball is a fast-paced, Olympic discipline that has grown significantly in global popularity. Chernii, with his proven track record, is tasked with steering the team out of its recent slump. A strong performance at the upcoming World Cup in Warsaw could be a crucial step in restoring the program's prestige.

As the Ukrainian women's 3x3 basketball team prepares for the upcoming World Cup, it's essential to understand the challenges they will face. In the draw for the tournament, Ukraine has been placed in a competitive group that includes strong teams like France and Canada. This context highlights the significance of Vitalii Chernii's appointment as head coach, as he aims to lead the team to improve their performance and reclaim their past glory on the international stage.