Last-Minute Roster Change for Ukraine’s 3x3 Basketball Team Ahead of Vienna Tournament

Anastasiia Kovtun Joins Ukraine’s National Squad

According to Главком: Anastasiia Kovtun has been called up to Ukraine’s national 3x3 basketball team for a training camp currently underway in Kaunas. She steps in for Kateryna Koval, who returned to the United States due to an injury. Upon arriving in Kaunas, Kovtun began training under head coach Vitalii Chernii.

Last season, Kovtun played in the Czech Republic, representing the club Chomutov in the EuroCup. Over six games, she averaged 17.5 minutes on the court, scoring 4.7 points and grabbing 3.8 rebounds per game. In the Czech domestic league, she also suited up for Chomutov in 11 matches, averaging 13.2 minutes, 2.6 points, and 3.4 rebounds. Midseason, she transferred to another Czech team, Slovanka, where she played 11 games with an average of 22.9 minutes, contributing 4.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest.

Upcoming Competitions on the Horizon

Kovtun is set to compete in the Women’s 3x3 Series stage in Vienna on June 13–14. Joining her on the Ukrainian roster for that event are:

• Miriam Uro-Nile
• Anzhelika Liashko
• Veronika Kosmach

Following the Vienna stage, the women’s team roster for the European Championship qualifier will be finalized. That qualification tournament takes place on June 16–17 in Bucharest.

Separately, Ukraine’s men’s basketball team continues its fight in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers. In the fourth round, the Ukrainian squad lost to Spain 78:64. Despite showing competitive stretches, they fell short, with quarter scores of 16:9, 12:12, 24:22, and 26:21 in Spain’s favor. Ukraine had also lost to Spain in the third round, 86:66.

On a brighter note, the Ukrainian men’s team defeated Denmark 88:71 in the second qualifying round. In the opening match of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers, Ukraine beat Georgia 92:79. Oleksandr Kovliar led all scorers with 31 points in 37 minutes. Other standout performers included Oleksandr Lypovyi, who added 13 points, and Viacheslav Bobrov, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Kovtun’s addition to the 3x3 squad highlights the team’s ability to adapt to player injuries and underscores the depth of Ukraine’s basketball talent pool. This flexibility will be crucial as the team prepares for major events like the European Championship. Meanwhile, the men’s team’s mixed results in World Cup qualifying point to areas needing improvement moving forward. Together, these developments reflect the ongoing growth of Ukrainian basketball on the international stage.

As Ukraine's women prepare for the upcoming Vienna tournament, their performance will be crucial for the upcoming World Championship. With a strong roster and recent training, the team's potential success could significantly impact their standings in international competitions.