Bagatskis says Ukraine recovered from a slow start, found their three point rhythm and tightened defense—details that may prove decisive in tougher second round matchups.
After the away match against Denmark, which finished with a 99-69 victory, the head coach of the Ukrainian men’s national basketball team, Ainars Bagatskis, shared his assessment of the fourth win in the first round of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
The press service of the Ukrainian Basketball Federation released a specialist’s comment stating that the team prepared for a challenging showdown: a long journey and a strong opponent demanded a measured approach. Three days ago the Ukrainians showed a good performance against Georgia. The main tasks were to make quality decisions on offense and to maintain solid defense against a fast break. Denmark is an unpredictable team: each of its players can score if the opportunity arises. I call this the “Valencia” style. The first quarter was tough – we allowed points, but then we gathered ourselves and did what was necessary. Three-point shots became one of our key attacking tools, most of which proved successful.
From the second quarter we started playing smarter and tougher on defense. We found open three-pointers and easy layups. From this period, more spectacular basketball followed. We advanced to the next round with a decent balance, which is the most important. We lost to Spain twice. Our opponents in the second stage will play against Spain and Georgia.
– Ainars Bagatskis
As part of the second stage of the qualifiers, the team continues its preparation for decisive games: according to the Ukrainian Basketball Federation, in the second round the Ukrainians will face Montenegro, Portugal, and Greece, with two matches scheduled against each of them.
Overall, the players demonstrate a balanced style of play – a blend of aggressive offense and responsible defense that allows them to confidently move forward in the World Cup qualification.