The manager of Ukraine’s men’s national basketball team hopes his players can train in peace in Taiwan in preparation for July’s FIBA Basketball World Cup European qualifiers, he said on Saturday.
Andrii Lebediev told a news conference in Kaohsiung that training in Taiwan would help his team refresh their minds amid Russia’s invasion of their country.
“For sure they are worried about it, and it would be a good change for them to stay here and [to help] change their minds a little bit and refresh,” Lebediev said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Lebediev was invited to visit Taiwan by the P.League+’s Kaohsiung Steelers. He, two national team staff members and a family member arrived on April 5 on business visas to discuss professional exchanges, club management and training.
Taiwan is a welcoming country that would provide a good atmosphere for the Ukrainian team of about 14 players to prepare for the qualifiers, Lebediev said.
Ukraine is scheduled to play Georgia on July 1 and North Macedonia on July 4.
The team would also be able to play friendly games against Taiwan’s men’s national team, which is also set to compete in the Asian qualifiers. Taiwan is to play China on July 1 and July 4, and Japan on July 3 at John Cain Arena in Melbourne, Australia.
“If we could play against the national team, it could help your team to prepare in the best way for the upcoming games of the World Cup” qualifiers, Lebediev said. “I hope it would be both sides that benefit.”
Taiwan has a different style of play compared with European teams, which would make for good training, he said.
“You play a different style, you love to shoot three-point shots a lot, even after the first pass,” Lebediev said, adding that in Europe “they more play inside. I think it would be a good experience for us to play against a team with such a style of play.”
P.League+ founder and CEO Blackie Chen said he welcomes the Ukrainian team to come to Taiwan, as it would be a good opportunity for both national teams to grow.
The Ukrainian team was playing against the Spanish team in the FIBA World Cup European qualifiers in Cordoba, Spain, on Feb. 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
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