Alexander Lipoviy and his teammates are preparing for a crucial battle in Riga today as Ukraine's men's basketball squad faces Slovakia in their second pre-qualification match for the 2027 World Championship.
The Ukrainian national team will take the court at 17:00 local time at Rimi Olympic Center, looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking defeat in their opener.
"Every game is critical in this format," a team representative might say. "After losing to Switzerland by just two points, we need to show character against Slovakia."
The first match against Switzerland ended in bitter disappointment for Ukraine, as they fell 64:66 in the final seconds. With only two teams advancing from Group A, which includes Ukraine, Slovakia, and Switzerland, today's clash takes on even greater significance.
Coach Ainars Bagatskis has assembled a 14-man roster for the pre-qualification tournament, featuring Vyacheslav Kravtsov, Issuf Sanon, Vladimir Konev, and other Ukrainian basketball standouts.
By the way, basketball fans can catch all the action live through Kyivstar TV, which will provide video coverage of the match.
Can Ukraine recover from their narrow opening loss and keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive? The answer begins to unfold today in Latvia.
