Basketball: Slovakia is preparing to qualify for the World Cup 2023
LEFT. After a long time, the Slovak men’s basketball team has a chance to compare with the European top. The selection of coach Oleg Meleshchenko will take part in the World Cup 2023 qualification for the first time in the era of independence.
On the November Association Deadline, his trustees will meet with Belgium (Thursday, November 25 at 6:00 p.m.) and Latvia (Monday, November 29 at 6:00 p.m.).
The implementation team of Slovakia nominated fourteen basketball players for this two-game match, in the end Matej Majerčák and Tomáš Mrviš dropped out of the menslov.
Injuries and study obligations
Compared to the summer, there have been several changes.
Michael Fusek and Jakub Mokráň eliminated the injuries from the nomination and Matúš Hronský has study obligations in the USA. Marek Doležaj and Marcel Bátovský have the first minutes within reach and the pivot Boris Bojanovský is back in the white-blue jersey.
“Depending on what we have chosen, we currently have the best in the condition we can have. I hope that the new faces that will be on the board will also bring their quality. I am very pleased with the form of the players. Each of them belongs to the leader in their time. That says they’re in good shape.
Let it last here as well, so that we look like a team as quickly as possible. The players who want to proudly represent Slovakia came here. As coaches, we will try to make it manifest on the board as well, “Meleshchenko told TASR.
The combination of the epidemiological situation and current measures has brought a lot of bad news for the representatives of Slovakia, in the domestic duel with Belgium, the spectators will not be behind the victory.
According to current regulations, there can be only 50 fans in the audience, as Levice is a district in the black color of COVID slot machines.
“I can’t evaluate it, it’s just a pity. We know the left environment, if there was a full hall, everyone would try to do their best. We lost the sixth player, that is my opinion, “said the national team coach.
Meleshchenko: Mentality must change
For the basketball players of Slovakia, this is the historic first participation in the qualification of the world championships in the era of independence. At the same time, after five years, she presented herself in qualifying, most recently playing in 2016 for a direct promotion to the 2017 European Championships.
“It’s an honor we have at home in Slovakia. It will be a fight and we will see how it turns out. I’ve heard a lot about no one pushing us and we can only surprise. No, we can’t even embark on such an approach.
We have to start with the fact that this is our chance and we have to say the maximum. We will fight in every match, the approach must always be such that we want to win.
That’s what we’re after. Mentality must change. What it will look like after the match or during it is up to us, the coaches, “Meleschenko said.
After the November meetings, Slovakia will face a double match with Serbia in February (February 25 and 28, 2022), and the performance in the A-group qualification for promotion to the world championship will end at the turn of June and July.
he will perform first in Belgium (June 30, 2022) and then at home with Latvia (July 3, 2022). From the four-member groups, they go on to the next round of the MS 2023 qualification. The second round of the ME 2025 pre-qualification is also waiting for the non-progressive.