FIBA

Joey Ramirez

Just three days after starring in Ukraine’s upset over unbeaten Spain, Svi Mykhailiuk struggled to find rhythm against Montenegro.

Mykhailiuk — who had 22 points, five 3-pointers and five steals against the Spaniards — finished with 15 points on just 5-of-15 shooting in Monday’s 90-84 loss at FIBA World Cup European qualifiers.

Ukraine had Mykhailiuk run point for much of the night to Jekyll-and-Hyde results. Svi — who played point guard growing up — dazzled with his ball handling abilities, but couldn’t seem to finish at the rim, hitting only 3-of-11 inside the arc.

In addition to his handle, the rookie Laker did have some other nice moments, including hitting 2-of-4 from 3-point distance and grabbing four offensive rebounds (five total).

However, he also committed four fouls and two turnovers. And while he was excellent defensively against Spain, he saw some slippage both on and off the ball versus Montenegro.

Mykhailiuk did, however, lead his team in scoring for the second straight game. Hawks center Alex Len was next with 13 points.

With Mykhailiuk rejoining the Lakers, Ukraine will have to play the final four games of qualification without him.

Ukraine are currently tied with Montenegro for fourth place in Group I. The top three teams from each group qualify for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Zubac, Croatia Fumble Against Poland
It was an unsettling few days for a Croatian team studded by four NBA players, as Ivica Zubac and co. lost their second straight game, this time a 79-74 upset from Poland.

Zubac — who started the game — played only 15 minutes as Croatia elected to play smaller lineups. But he was solid in his limited time, scoring six points on 3-of-6 shooting.

He had a nice duck-in for a dunk, ran the floor for another slam and hit the offensive glass for a put-back layup.

Zubac played well in back-to-back wins for Croatia during the June/July qualifying window, scoring 12 points against Italy before dropping 20 on Romania.

But he had a more difficult time this past week, scoring 11 points in a foul-plagued loss to Lithuania on Friday. And he had less of a role against a 3-point-happy Polish side, playing only four minutes in the second half.

Croatia lost a key opportunity to gain ground in the standings, as Zubac, Dario Saric, Bojan Bogdanovic and Ante Zizic will be back with their NBA clubs during the final four games of qualification.

Croatia are tied with Netherlands for fifth place in Group J. With Lithuania already qualified, there are only two remaining spots to advance to the World Cup.

mykhailiuk-zubac-conclude-playing-at-world-cup-qualifiers

Mykhailiuk, Zubac Conclude Playing at World Cup Qualifiers

Svi Mykhailiuk hadn’t played for the Ukrainian National Team in four years, but now his home country won’t want to go another day without him.

The rookie Laker was brilliant in Ukraine’s stunning 76-65 victory over previously unbeaten Spain, racking up 22 points, five 3-pointers, five steals and three assists to score a crucial win in qualification for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Most of Mykhailiuk’s damage came from his trademark 3-point shooting, as the Cherkasy native hit more than half of his nine attempts from deep.

He splashed an assortment of triples, hitting a couple off screens, another pair while spotting up and one ridiculous trey off his own dribble.

But as Myhkhailiuk showed during the NBA summer league, he is more than just a shooter.

The 21-year-old was excellent defensively, containing his man on the ball and hunting down five steals.

On the other end, he showed a bit of his ball handling and playmaking abilities. In particular, he had a nice feed to Hawks center Alex Len out of a pick-and-roll, plus a Lonzo Ball-esque full-court assist at the end of the game.

Mykhailiuk last played for his home country during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, receiving sparing minutes back when he was only 17 years old. This time, he played a key role in potentially bringing Ukraine back to that stage.

Spain kept the game close before Ukraine took control in the final frame. Mykhailiuk had eight points, two assists and a block in a fourth quarter that saw his team outscore its opponent, 20-12.

Mykhailiuk finished with twice as many points as his closest teammate, lifting the home team’s offense in the victory over a Spanish side that entered Ukraine’s capital city, Kiev, with a sparkling 6-0 record.

With the victory, Ukraine improved to 4-3 in qualification, taking sole possession of fourth place in its group standings.

The top three teams in each group qualify for the World Cup, and Ukraine have another crucial matchup on Monday against Montenegro.

There are only five more games left in qualification, and since the final four take place during the NBA season, this will be Mykhailiuk’s last opportunity to increase his nation’s chances of a World Cup berth.

Monday’s game will be played at 11:15 a.m. PT, and broadcasted on ESPN+ and LiveBasketball.TV.

Zubac, Croatia Fall in Slugfest with Lithuania
It was a frustrating night for Ivica Zubac, who was hampered by foul trouble in a crucial game for Croatia.

With Zubac joined by fellow NBA players Dario Saric, Bojan Bogdanovic and Ante Zizic, the Croatian national team faced a 6-0 Lithuanian side that had won all of its games by at least 15 points (and one by 56).

Despite a fourth-quarter rally in front of their home crowd, Croatia were unable to ever seize the lead, as Lithuania squeezed out an 84-83 win.

Zubac finished the night with 11 points, four rebounds and three blocks, as he was limited to only 21 minutes played due to three first-half fouls.

The 21-year-old center did what he could with his short playing time, anchoring Croatia's defense with good rim protection and running the floor for most of his scoring opportunities. He scored six points in the fourth quarter, including a dunk that cut the deficit to two with 1:37 remaining.

But Croatia could not halt the Lithuanian offense, as Zubac and co. fell to 3-4 in the European qualifiers, putting them in a three-way tie for fourth place in their group.

They face Poland on Monday at 12 p.m. PT for Zubac's last opportunity to help his national team before the NBA season begins. Croatia have five games remaining to crack the top three of their group in order to qualify for next year's World Cup.

svi-mykhailiuk-stars-for-ukraine-in-upset-over-spain

Svi Mykhailiuk Stars for Ukraine in Upset Over Spain

Ivica Zubac and Svi Mykhailiuk have some business to attend to across the pond this week, as they look to push their national teams closer to a berth in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

This is a crucial two-game stretch for both Zubac’s Croatian team and Mykhailiuk’s Ukrainian side, who are both on the tipping point of qualification and elimination.

Zubac returns to his national team after starring for it during the June/July qualifiers.

He averaged 16.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks, while shooting 10-of-14 from the field and 12-of-12 at the free throw line, as Croatia defeated Italy and Romania.

Croatia enter this qualification window armed with four NBA players — Zubac, Dario Saric, Bojan Bodgdanovic and Ante Zizic — against two teams without a single NBA representative.

However, they do begin by hosting 6-0 Lithuania on Friday at 11:15 a.m. PT before traveling to face Poland on Monday at noon.

With six games left in the qualification rounds, Croatia are in a four-way tie for third place.

The top three teams advance to the World Cup, and this window is particularly crucial since the other four games will take place during the NBA season, making Zubac and co. unavailable.

Meanwhile, Mykhailiuk will return to the Ukrainian national team for the first time since playing in the 2014 World Cup back when he was just 17 years old.

They start off against the top team in qualification, Spain, who have started 6-0 and are led by two-time Olympian Sergio Rodriguez.

After hosting the Spaniards on Friday at 9 a.m. PT, Ukraine then travel to Montenegro for a matchup on Monday at 11:15 a.m.

Mykhailiuk and five-year NBA pro Alex Len will look to lead Ukraine into the top half of their group, as they are currently tied with Montenegro for fourth place.

Each game for both Croatia and Ukraine will be broadcast on ESPN+ and LiveBasketball.TV.

FIBA

Mykhailiuk, Zubac Conclude Playing at World Cup Qualifiers

Svi Mykhailiuk Stars for Ukraine in Upset Over Spain

Zubac, Mykhailiuk to Represent National Teams in FIBA Qualifiers