World Basketball Qualifiers 2023: The last European tickets… are looking for an owner!

His qualifiers World Cup 2023 are entering their final stretch, as the last two matches of the “windows” will take place in the next five days.

The representative group of our country has secured the ticket for the finals of the competition, however the games with Serbia and Latvia have their own pivotal importance, in the battle of our national team to win the first place in the group.

In total, from twelve tickets of the European zone, nine have already found an owner! Three more spots remain for the World Cup to be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, with at least eight teams vying for those tickets!

Group I

Just one ticket remains to find a holder from the group our National team participates in, as both Greece and the pioneer Latvia have already secured qualification for the final phase of the 2023 World Cup.

Serbia, Turkey and Belgium are fighting for the third ticket, with the Serbians having the upper hand in this race as they are +2 wins away from the other two countries.

Logically, Svetislav Pesic’s team needs just one win in the two games against Greece (away) and Great Britain (home) to qualify for the finals of the tournament. Of course, even if she suffers two defeats, it is enough for her not to make 2/2 Belgium and Turkey.

Regarding the first place in the group, Latvia has the first reason, as in order to lose the first place to Greece, it will have to lose both of its matches, with Turkey away and with Greece at home.

Grading

1. Latvia 7-1 (Qualified)

2. Serbia 5-3

3. Greece 5-3 (has qualified)

4. Turkey 3-5

5. Belgium 3-5

6. Great Britain 1-7

Program:

11th matchday

Greece-Serbia (19:00, 24/02)

Turkey-Latvia (19:00, 24/02)

Great Britain-Belgium (21:30, 24/02)

12th matchday

Latvia-Greece (19:30, 27/02)

Serbia-Great Britain (21:00, 27/02)

Belgium-Turkey (1:30, 27/02)

Group J

In group J, everything has become clear since the previous matchday, regarding the qualification for the World Cup 2023. Germany (8-2), Finland (8-2) and Slovenia (7-3), have already checked the ticket for the final phase in Philippines-Japan and Indonesia, and all that remains is to know the ranking order.

In a possible tie, the Germans surpass the Slovenians, since they have a better difference in the matches between them, while with Finland, who are playing in the last matchday, they have the upper hand, since there is the +14 (94-80) advantage of first round!

Slovenia does not hold out hope, since it also falls short of a possible draw with Finland, due to the two defeats it suffered in the window of last February…

Grading

1. Germany 8-2 (Qualified)

2. Finland 8-2 (Qualified)

3. Slovenia 7-3 (Qualified)

4. Sweden 5-5

5. Israel 3-7

6. Estonia 2-8

Program:

11th matchday

Israel-Finland (14:30, 24/02)

Estonia-Slovenia (17:00, 24/02)

Germany-Sweden (20:30, 24/02)

12th matchday

Finland-Germany (18:30, 27/02)

Slovenia-Israel (19:00, 27/02)

Sweden-Estonia (20:05, 27/02)

Group K

As in the group of our national team, so also in group K, there is a similar scenario, since two teams have already secured qualification to the final stage. The reason for France and Lithuania, who are tied at the top with a record of 8-2.

The third and last ticket of the group is claimed by Montenegro (6-4), Bosnia and Herzegovina (5-5) and Hungary (5-5).

Everything can be decided in the penultimate matchday, where Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes Montenegro, with the visitors having a +19 advantage in the first match (88-69). With a victory, Montenegro effectively “locks” qualification, since at the same time Hungary has difficult games against Lithuania (away) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (home).

Essentially, Bosko Radovic’s team can only lose the ticket by… self-handling, even if everything goes wrong in the match against Bosnia, they hold their luck in their own hands, since in the last match they welcome the tailed and indifferent Czech Republic.

Grading

1. France 8-2 (Qualified)

2. Lithuania 8-2 (Qualified)

3. Montenegro 6-4

4. Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-5

5. Hungary 5-5

6. Czech Republic 3-7

Program:

11th matchday

Lithuania-Hungary (19:30)

Czech Republic-France (19:45)

Bosnia and Herzegovina-Montenegro (21:00)

12th matchday

France-Lithuania (19:00, 26/02)

Montenegro-Czech Republic (20:00, 26/02)

Hungary-Bosnia Herzegovina (20:00, 26/02)

Group L

The two big favorites of Group L, Spain and Italy, have long secured qualification to the final phase of MundoBasket 2023, however, for the third and last ticket, it is foreshadowed… doom!

Georgia (4-4), Iceland (4-4) and Ukraine (3-5) are vying for a place… in the sun and their first World Cup finals appearance in their history!

Given that Ukraine has to face Italy outside of the 11th matchday, one understands that it is at a disadvantage compared to the other two gladiators. However, in the event of a tie, it beats both Iceland and Georgia!

Everything is expected to be decided in the 12th and final matchday, where Georgia will welcome Iceland in Tbilisi, in a duel of “life or death”, with the home team called upon to defend the +3 of the first match between them (85- 88).

Let’s remember that Georgia still has to play away from home against the trailing and winless Netherlands, while Iceland plays at home against Spain.

Grading

1. Spain 7-1 (Qualified)

2. Italy 6-2 (Qualified)

3. Agriculture 4-4

4. Iceland 4-4

5. Ukraine 3-5

6. Netherlands 0-8

Program:

11th matchday

Netherlands-Georgia (20:30, 23/02)

Iceland-Spain (21:45, 23/02)

Italy-Ukraine (22:00, 23/02)

12th matchday

Georgia-Iceland (18:00, 26/02)

Ukraine-Netherlands (18:00, 26/02)

Spain-Italy (19:00, 26/02)