Yegor Sushkin scored 26 points including six three-pointers, but it wasn't enough to prevent Ukraine's U-20 men's basketball team from suffering an 80:82 defeat to Finland in their final European Championship Division A match.
Ukraine started brilliantly, dominating the first quarter 28:11 and maintaining a comfortable lead through much of the game. But the Finns gradually chipped away at the advantage.
"Finland" turned the tide in the third quarter, cutting Ukraine's lead to just five points before Sushkin's buzzer-beating three-pointer helped restore a 10-point cushion heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter proved decisive. Finland's relentless comeback continued as they gradually erased the deficit and took the lead midway through the quarter. Aaron Ekvere's clutch basket gave Finland a five-point advantage with just a minute remaining.
Ukraine fought back to narrow the gap, and Sushkin nearly forced overtime with a last-second shot that rimmed out. So close, yet so far.
Beside Sushkin's impressive performance, Luka Lokhmanchuk contributed 25 points while Andrii Sytar dominated the boards with 14 rebounds. It's worth noting that Ukraine competed without injured players Daniil Sypal and Maksym Klychko, which certainly affected their rotation options.
The result means Ukraine finishes the European Championship in Division A without a victory, placing 16th overall. A disappointing outcome for a team that showed flashes of potential throughout the tournament.
Can this young Ukrainian squad bounce back stronger in their next international competition? Time will tell, but the talent is certainly there.
