Finland, which is 34th in the world rankings and which is ready for next year’s European Championships, is the first World Cup qualifier on 25 November. Three days later, the Swedish basketball masters meet Slovenia in Koper.
“Before the World Cup qualifiers, we are at a disadvantage. All three opponents in the group are countries that have qualified for the upcoming European Championships “, says Secretary General Fredrik Joulamo in a press release.
“We have many competent players, we have had the same group of players for a long time, we believe in ourselves – and we know that maximum performance will be required to take victories.”
Croatia is also in Sweden’s group.
– Mattias Markusson, 217 centimeters tall, here in a match with his former college team Loyola Marymount. Stock Photography.
Photo: Young Kwak/AP
The new national team captains Boris Balibrea, Ludwig Degernäs, Joakim Källman and Mikko Riipinen have selected a squad whose core has played in both European Championship and World Cup qualifiers in recent years. They are led by Christopher Czerapowicz, Ludvig Håkanson, Tobias Borg and Alexander Lindqvist.
At the far end of the squad is Mattias Markusson, 217 centimeters, who made his A national team debut in the qualifiers in August and has started the season in the Czech Republic convincingly, with an average of 12.8 points and 13.7 rebounds per game.
“We have tried to find a balance between the players who have been around for a while, and to get new players. We have also chosen to have several players with size, and players who can play in several positions “, says Riipinen.
Back in the men’s national team are Viktor Gaddefors and Jonathan Person.
Of the 17 called players, twelve are selected for the matches.
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