By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The main attraction of this summer in European basketball is the Eurobasket 2022. However, before we get there, there’s one more thing that most national teams have to take care of. The second phase of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, known also as “FIBA Windows”, is scheduled just days before the Eurobasket after the demand of many national federations which knew that they would field the best possible teams for those games because of the timing.
That means among other things a marquee match-up in Belgrade between Nikola Jokic’s Serbia and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece. But first, we have to note that not all Eurobasket contenders are part of the second phase.
Croatia is the most notable absence which will play for the pre-qualifiers of Eurobasket 2025 – yes, before competing in the Eurobasket 2022, due to COVID changes in the scheduling – together with Poland and Bulgaria. On the other side of the spectrum, Latvia, Sweden, and Iceland are part of the second phase of the FIBAWC Qualifiers but missed the Eurobasket.
Those are official games managed directly by FIBA and that’s why – contrary to most prep games – you can watch them all over the world, first and foremost with FIBA’s Courtside 1891 streaming service. The top three teams of each group will get the European tickets for the FIBA World Cup 2023 and with two more “Windows” left in November and February, the leaders of each group can make key steps towards World Cup qualification even before the start of the Eurobasket.
GROUP I
| GAMES | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75.0 | 310 | 287 | 23 | 77.5 | 71.8 | 7 | |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75.0 | 300 | 288 | 12 | 75 | 72 | 7 | |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 307 | 286 | 21 | 76.8 | 71.5 | 6 | |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 275 | 276 | -1 | 68.8 | 69 | 6 | |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25.0 | 302 | 313 | -11 | 75.5 | 78.2 | 5 | |
| 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25.0 | 287 | 331 | -44 | 71.8 | 82.8 | 5 | |
Thursday, August 25
Latvia v Turkey – 18:30 CET
Serbia v Greece – 20:00 CET
Belgium v Great Britain – 20:30 CET
Sunday, August 28
Great Britain v Latvia – 19:00 CET
Greece v Belgium – 19:00 CET
Turkey v Serbia – 19:00 CET
This is Latvia’s group so Kristaps Porzingis is back in action with his national team. However, he will not be part of the Eurobasket. The rest of the teams in this group may meet again in September.
Of course, the games Serbia vs Greece and Turkey vs Serbia are the most interesting contests for the next few days. Strange as it may sound, Serbia is in dire need of two wins since they have lost twice in the first phase to Belgium and teams carried their results to the second phase. In this Group and also in Group L the teams have carried four games from the first phase and not six, due to the disqualification of Russia and Belarus after the Russian attack on Ukraine. The results in the games against those teams were annulled.
GROUP J
| GAMES | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83.3 | 474 | 425 | 49 | 79 | 70.8 | 11 | |
| 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83.3 | 474 | 446 | 28 | 79 | 74.3 | 11 | |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 66.7 | 506 | 482 | 24 | 84.3 | 80.3 | 10 | |
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50.0 | 476 | 452 | 24 | 79.3 | 75.3 | 9 | |
| 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33.3 | 479 | 494 | -15 | 79.8 | 82.3 | 8 | |
| 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33.3 | 415 | 470 | -55 | 69.2 | 78.3 | 8 | |
Thursday, August 25
Finland v Israel – 17:30 CET
Sweden v Germany – 18:30 CET
Slovenia v Estonia – 19:30 CET
Sunday, August 28
Germany v Slovenia – 15:00 CET
Estonia v Finland – 17:00 CET
Israel v Sweden – 20:00 CET
This can be a great warm-up for Doncic and Slovenia since their team is currently third and hasn’t secured yet their presence in the FIBA World Cup. After missing the previous World Cup, there’s maybe an extra motivation involved.
Deni Avdija and Israel will try and spoil the party and that can be done, if the Israelis manage first and foremost the get the road win in Finland, where Lauri Markkanen and company are waiting while being tied with Germany at the top of the group.
Group K
| GAMES | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83.3 | 464 | 343 | 121 | 77.3 | 57.2 | 11 | |
| 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83.3 | 462 | 421 | 41 | 77 | 70.2 | 11 | |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 66.7 | 464 | 428 | 36 | 77.3 | 71.3 | 10 | |
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50.0 | 485 | 483 | 2 | 80.8 | 80.5 | 9 | |
| 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50.0 | 472 | 486 | -14 | 78.7 | 81 | 9 | |
| 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50.0 | 399 | 469 | -70 | 66.5 | 78.2 | 9 | |
Wednesday, August 24
Hungary v Lithuania – 18:00 CET
Montenegro v Bosnia and Herzegovina – 19:00 CET
France v Czech Republic – 20:30 CET
Saturday, August 27
Czech Republic v Hungary – 18:15 CET
Lithuania v Montenegro – 18:30 CET
Bosnia and Herzegovina v France – 20:00 CET
Here things are really interesting with Montenegro keeping the third spot with a 4-2 record, followed by a three-way tie in the fourth spot between the Czech Republic, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, plus Hungary. So every game is crucial in a group that includes Eurobasket medal contenders France and Lithuania, plus one of the four Eurobasket hosts, the Czechs.
GROUP L
| GAMES | GAME POINTS | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | P | W | L | % | For | Agt | +/- | FA | AA | |
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75.0 | 367 | 348 | 19 | 91.8 | 87 | 7 | |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75.0 | 340 | 343 | -3 | 85 | 85.8 | 7 | |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75.0 | 330 | 293 | 37 | 82.5 | 73.2 | 7 | |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 297 | 327 | -30 | 74.2 | 81.8 | 6 | |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25.0 | 312 | 319 | -7 | 78 | 79.8 | 5 | |
| 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 297 | 313 | -16 | 74.2 | 78.2 | 4 | |
Wednesday, August 24
Georgia v Netherlands – 17:00 CET
Ukraine v Italy – 17:30 CET
Spain v Iceland – 21:00 CET
Saturday, August 27
Netherlands v Spain – 19:00 CET
Italy v Georgia – 20:30 CET
Iceland v Ukraine – 22:00 CET
With a three-way tie on the top and only Georgia having under those teams two wins, it remains to be seen if the miracle of Iceland can hold until the World Cup.