SARAJEVO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Pre-Qualifiers) - The time of reckoning is almost upon Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The aim is to reach the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers and to do that, the side now coached by Dusko Vujosevic must finish in the top two of their Pre-Qualifiers group that also has Sweden, Slovaki Republic and Armenia.

The team, which is young, travels to Norkopping on Sunday for its opening clash with the Swedes three days later.

Bosnia and Herzegovina won in Sweden last year

"There is a good atmosphere in the team," Bosnia and Herzegovina's 23-year-old captain Adam Vrabac said. "We've worked well for a month...we'll have the energy to show up and play at our maximum."

Vujosevic, who has coached both the former Yugoslavia and Montenegro before, has an abundance of savvy and know-how. He'll need to use all of it to get Bosnia and Herzegovina to the World Cup European Qualifiers.

"We carry a great burden of inexperience, but these guys deserve support," he said.

The team's NBA players, Mirza Teletovic and Jusuf Nurkic, have opted to skip international play this time around. Other veterans, including Elmedin Kikanovic, Milan Milosevic, Andrija Stipanovic, Emir Sulejmanovic and Miralem Halilovic, are nursing injuries and were not included in the national team's 17-player squad for the Pre-Qualifiers.

Among those that have been involved is 18-year-old Dzanan Musa.

Vujosevic's team impressed against another side in the Pre-Qualifiers, Portugal, winning their friendly, 63-58. The team lost, however, to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD), 71-67.

Bosnia and Herzegovina won their last friendly against Austria, 70-52.

"Sport is not predictable," Vujosevic said. "We don't know what will happen in games. When the team is young, then the situation is unpredictable."

This is not the first time that Sweden will square off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sides met twice last year in their qualifying campaign for FIBA EuroBasket 2017. Bosnia and Herzegovina won both encounters.

"Every game is important," Vujosevic said. "Sweden is experienced, have a good team and have information about us.

"The Swedes are favorites on their court but we'll go with good energy. We'll see what we do."

FIBA