GUANGZHOU (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019) - Finland might have avoided the feared European giants Greece and Italy in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers, but Czech Republic and Iceland will do their best to make life difficult for coach Henrik Dettmann's team in Group F.

The 59-year-old playcaller in command of the Wolf Pack did not hide the fact that he was happy to have steered clear of two of Europe's elite national teams, but stressed that the upcoming campaign was going to be difficult nonetheless.

"We wanted to avoid encounters with Greece and Italy from the second pot."Henrik DettmannHenrik Dettmann

"There is no easy path to the World Cup, but in our case, it should be said, we could have landed in a more difficult situation," Dettmann acknowledged after the draw held in Guangzhou.

While their to-be opponents Czech Republic finished in an all-time best 7th place in FIBA EuroBasket 2015 will still be a difficult team to play against, landing in the same group with them wasn't the worst possible landing spot for Finland.

"We wanted to avoid encounters with Greece and Italy from the second pot," Dettmann said after the draw, with nothing to hide. "In regards to Iceland, it is an opponent we hold in high regard. It's not the size of the country, but the size of the heart that matters. They're going to be a tough team to play against, especially on the road."

One more team will be named to Group F after the end of the Pre-Qualifiers, with one of the four group winners joining the trio of Czech Republic, Finland and Iceland.

"It is going to be a really tough group, especially since we'll get another strong opponent from the Pre-Qualifiers," explained Dettmann, once again acknowledging that the path to advancing will be difficult nonetheless.

"For me, it is great to have a chance to play with the guys and represent my country during the year too."Petteri KoponenPetteri Koponen

The words of coach Dettmann were reverberated by the country's star man and FC Barcelona Lassa guard Petteri Koponen, who is once again eagerly eyeing the moment he can put on his Finland jersey.

"Yes, the draw could have been worse, but at the same time there are no easy games for us. However, I believe in our chance in this group," he told FIBA.com.

Having made his debut for the national team a decade ago as a 19-year-old up-and-comer in FIBA EuroBasket Division B in 2007, Koponen has seen the exponential growth of Finnish basketball from up close over the years.

"I definitely think Finnish basketball is on the rise. I've been with the national team for many years. We started in Division B and now we've been to three EuroBaskets and participated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 in Spain," the 29-year-old guard said. "It's been great to be a part of all of this. And the future looks really bright. There are more and more talented players coming through and people are starting to follow basketball even more closely."

Finland will be looking to make the next step as a basketball nation when they co-host FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Helsinki at the end of the summer. After that, however, it is straight on to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers. And Koponen for one, is a fan of the FIBA's New Competition System and Calendar, featuring in-season games for national teams.

"For me, it is great to have a chance to play with the guys and represent my country during the year too," said Koponen. "Let's see how everything works out with club competitions regarding scheduling and other things. This is all new for everybody. But I think it is great for the fans to be able to see the national team during the season too and not only in the summer."

While players like Koponen have provided the fuel for the astronomic rise of Finnish basketball, the huge fan following, that has in many ways taken on a life of its own, has certainly contributed to the process as a catalyst.

"Our fans are great and they are also a big reason for our success," the Barcelona guard explained. "The fans are always there to support us no matter what. I really can't wait to play in front of them in Helsinki. It's going to be something special!"

The First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers will be played in November 2017, February 2018 and June 2018. The top three teams in each of the groups will progress to the Second Round of the Qualifiers, which will take place in 2018 and 2019.

In the Second Round, the field will be further reduced to just 12 teams, which will represent Europe in the Final Stage of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China, which will take place on August 31 – September 15, 2019.

FIBA