Valerii Plekhanov watched his Ukraine U-20 squad fall to Italy 60:80, completing a winless group stage at the European Championship currently taking place in Heraklion, Greece. This third consecutive defeat relegated the Ukrainian team to the bottom of their group heading into the playoff round.
"The first quarter effectively decided the outcome," a team representative noted after the game.
The opening period proved disastrous for the Ukrainians, who managed only five points while surrendering 27 to the Italians. This 22-point deficit established a commanding lead for the "Squadra Azzurra" who, despite clearly relaxing afterward, maintained control throughout the contest.
The second quarter showed signs of improvement with both teams playing to an 18:18 draw, leaving the halftime score at 45:23 in Italy's favor.
Interestingly, Ukraine emerged from the locker room with renewed aggression after the break. The "blue and yellows" played with notably increased intensity and tempo, managing to cut nine points from their deficit. Italy, however, regrouped quickly to neutralize the Ukrainian surge.
Entering the final period with a 20-point disadvantage, Plekhanov's squad couldn't mount a serious comeback attempt. The game ended with the same 20-point margin it had started the fourth quarter with.
Ukraine now faces an even tougher challenge in the Round of 16. Can they regroup against Serbia, the Group D winners, in Wednesday's knockout game on July 16? The odds certainly don't favor the winless Ukrainians, but playoff basketball often brings unexpected results.
