Inna Kochubey has announced an expanded roster for Ukraine's U-18 women's junior basketball team as they begin preparations for the upcoming European Championship in Division B. The experienced coach selected 15 players, from which 12 will make the final cut for the tournament in Lithuania scheduled for July 4-13.
"We evaluated a large list of candidates, watching them and assessing whether they could adapt to our system," – Kochubey explained when discussing her selection process.
The Ukrainian squad will face tough competition in the group stage, where they'll match up against host nation Lithuania, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, and Azerbaijan.
The expanded roster includes Anna Dziun, Maria Solovyan, Nika Zhdanova, Valeria Kutsenko, Victoria Petrishak, Polina Tupalo, Victoria Anisimova, Daria Ishchuk, Anna Slasten, Ivanna Pikush, Victoria Levontyuk, Valeria Shevchenko, Daria Lesko, Tatiana Konovalova, and Angelika Kostiv.
Interestingly, many players in the current squad will still be eligible to represent the U-18 team next year, giving them valuable experience at the international level.
The coach did note one significant absence from the lineup. "The only noticeable loss is Svetlana Polyantseva, who has certain health issues and decided to address them this summer. It's unfortunate she won't be with us, as she's a good player, a fighter, and I was counting on her," Kochubey admitted.
Will this young Ukrainian squad have what it takes to compete against Europe's best in Division B? We'll find out when the tournament tips off next month in Lithuania.
