UKR - Building confidence

KIEV (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Ukraine will be hosting the EuroBasket in 2015, when the competition serves as a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

In just one week, the country will get a first-hand look at how Slovenia stage the tournament.

The Ukrainians will be among the 24 teams at the EuroBasket in Slovenia and they appear to be well positioned to have a successful run as one of the teams in Group A.

While France are the real heavyweights in the pool, Ukraine will believe they have every chance of winning games against Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Israel.

A top-three place would allow the Ukrainians to advance to the second round, and nothing could be better for coach Mike Fratello's team as it attempts to build some momentum for 2015.

The Ukrainians just had a very encouraging tournament in Poland, not only upsetting the hosts, 84-83, but also winning convincingly against Sweden, 86-74.

Former Germany boss Dirk Bauermann, who is now in charge of the Polish, liked the approach of Ukraine.

"They fought for 40 minutes and were rewarded for it," he said.

A player who really distinguished himself against the Polish squad was Pooh Jeter, who poured in 23 points.

Another, young but hard-working center Kyryl Natyazhko, had 18 points and that was against a Polish frontline that includes Marcin Gortat and Maciej Lampe.

Another key for the Ukrainians in Slovenia will be Sergey Gladyr, the sharpshooting guard who has the ability to change a game in an instant because of his explosive scoring.

He had 15 points against Poland.

What Ukraine coach Mike Fratello had to like most about the tournament in Poland was the fact that Ukraine had other players step up in the next game against the Swedes.

Jeter did have 16 points, but Maksym Kornienko led Ukraine with 19 and Igor Zaytsev, who drilled four of six shots from the arc, chipped in 18.

Ukraine showed an ability to bury the opponents with an avalanche of three-balls, nailing 15 of 27 against Sweden.

That perimeter game is going to make them very dangerous in Group A because if teams focus too much on closing down the interior, the shooters look as if they are going to keep Ukraine in games.

Ukraine will be taking it one day at a time, and once the EuroBasket starts, one game at a time.

If they could get a couple of wins in the opening stage and build some confidence, they'll be in the reckoning for a spot at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The top six sides will qualify for next year's tournament.

If Spain finish in the first six, then the top seven teams will progress.

FIBA