Ainars Bagatskis led the Ukrainian men's basketball team to a redemptive 73:64 victory over Switzerland in their World Cup 2027 qualifier on Saturday, August 16. The win came in their third match of the qualification tournament, played at the Olympic Center in Riga, Latvia, where Ukraine hosted their nominal home game.
Ukraine dominated the first quarter with a commanding 28:12 performance, setting the tone for the remainder of the contest. Though the Swiss squad fought back in the subsequent periods (13:19, 21:24, 11:9), the Ukrainians maintained their advantage throughout.
"We have to focus on our work, on our qualities. Of course, we know the best qualities of the Swiss players on the court, but again, we need to focus on ourselves – that's 100%," – explained Bagatskis before the game.
The Ukrainian coach also highlighted the positive team chemistry as a key factor. "Even when we play poorly, we enjoy the process. I think we have really good team chemistry. Players support and help each other, communicate and fight against each other in training. This is a sign of a good team."
Worth noting, this victory was particularly important for Ukraine after losing to the same Swiss team in their opening qualification match. The team's roster included Alexander Kovliar, Ilya Tyrtyshnyk, Yegor Sushkin, Mykhailo Bublyk, Issouf Sanon, and other key players who executed their game plan effectively.
Despite the win, Ukraine still occupies the last place in their group but has two more games ahead. Only the top two teams from each group advance to the next round. Can they build on this momentum to secure qualification?
The game was available for fans to watch via "Kyivstar TV" on Megogo video service and on FIBA's YouTube channel.
