UKR/ITA - Ukraine, Italy already well past EuroBasket expectations

LJUBLJANA (EuroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Many teams had expectations of reaching the Quarter-Finals of EuroBasket 2013 and hoping to at least qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Ukraine and Italy were not necessarily two of them.

Sure, it would have been great. But realistically neither side was given much of a chance. And now Italy face Lithuania and Ukraine try to take down Croatia for spots in the Semi-Finals.

Granted, Ukraine beat Bulgaria and Belgium in the first round at EuroBasket 2011 and only missed out on advancing to the second round on point differential.

But Mike Fratello's Ukrainian side was missing a number of top players here in Slovenia including their captain Artur Drozdov. And the eastern Europeans had never even gotten out of the first round. In fact their two wins in 2011 were their first triumphs since 2001 after going 0-3 in 2003 and 2005.

Ukraine opened EuroBasket 2013 with three straight wins over Belgium, Israel and Germany and then followed a loss to France with a victory over Great Britain.

In the second round, the Ukrainians were rolled over by Latvia in the first game by 34 points but came back to beat Serbia. And Ukraine moved into the knockout stages when Latvia lost to Belgium before Ukraine lost to Lithuania.

"We're thankful to be in the Quarter-Finals. People picked us as the last team in this tournament. So to be in the top eight is a blessing," said Ukraine's naturalized point guard Eugene 'Pooh' Jeter.

Ukraine guard Sergii Gladyr said the team has already passed expectations but added there's no need to just be happy with what's been accomplished.

"We didn't expect that we would go so far. We go out there every night and play as hard as we can. We're young and ambitious," he said.

"It means a lot to Ukraine basketball. It's the first time we are in the second round and already in the quarter-finals. But we don’t have to stop."

Italy also never stopped playing a high energy, team basketball style that has brought them surprisingly to the final eight.

The Azzurri are missing some of their best players including NBA stars Andrea Bargnani and Danilo Gallinari as well as Euroleague ace Daniel Hackett and captain Stefano Mancinelli among others.

Luigi Datome, Marco Belinelli and Alessandro Gentile helped Italy defy pundits and were the only undefeated team in the first round in Slovenia.

Along the way, EuroBasket debutant Nicolo Melli gave a typical answer by Italian players to questions about what is possible in Slovenia.

"We never want to think about what we can do. Just one day at a time. We have to remain humble and keep saying we are the underdog team," said the 22-year-old big man.

Two losses against Slovenia and Croatia followed to start the second round and then Italy upset Spain in overtime to take the third spot in Group F - and set up a match-up against another giant of European basketball in Lithuania.

"One more time, it is a dream to play these kinds of games. This is what I like about my team," said Italy head coach Simone Pianigiani.

"It's very simple for us. We don't want to think too much. We want to pay attention to what we can do better, day by day for every game. Obviously it's a dream for us. If we win one more game, we are in the World Cup. But we can only be quiet and prepare ourselves and not say more."

Expectations may have been overcome, but that won't stop Italy and Ukraine from dreaming.

For full and in-depth coverage of EuroBasket 2013, go to the official website http://www.eurobasket2013.org.

FIBA