Valery Plekhanov has announced a 16-player extended roster for Ukraine's U-20 men's basketball team that will compete at the European Championship in Division A this summer. The Ukrainian squad will face Belgium, Germany, and Italy in Group C at the tournament scheduled for July 12-20 in Heraklion, Greece.
"We started forming the squad back in September last year. We gathered all players of this age and one year younger who could theoretically be candidates. That list initially included 67 names," – explained Plekhanov, who will eventually need to trim the roster to just 12 players for the final tournament.
The team begins preparation on June 10 with a training camp in Mažeikiai, Lithuania. Interestingly, the current extended roster features players from eight different countries, showcasing the global development path of Ukraine's young basketball talents.
Among the notable selections, Rafael Kolavole from Polish "Legia", Arsenii Kolobov from University of Rhode Island (USA), and Maksim Oleksandr Klychko from French "Monaco" headline the diverse group. The roster also includes Daniil Sypalo and Illia Lishchyna from domestic club "Dnipro".
Plekhanov noted that the selection process has been fluid. "Players who were in the list of 24 basketballers but didn't make the 16 remain candidates for the team. In case of injury or if a player doesn't meet the national team level – we'll make rotations," he said. This already happened once – Nikita Korotchenko's injury led to Andrii Sytar from Spanish "Estudiantes" being called up instead.
Ukraine will open their Eurobasket campaign against Germany on July 12, followed by games against Belgium (July 13) and Italy (July 14). All 16 participating teams will advance to the knockout stage, with Group C teams facing opponents from Group D – which includes France, Serbia, Slovenia, and Iceland.
What's at stake? The three worst-performing teams in the tournament will be relegated to Division B – something the Ukrainian squad will certainly be looking to avoid. Can Plekhanov's young talents secure their place among Europe's basketball elite?
