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31 August, 2017
17 September
11 Elmedin KIKANOVIC (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
30/08/2016
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Gameday 1 preview: Wednesday 31 August

(FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers) - The curtain is finally rising on the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers as 26 of the 27 participating teams are entering action on Wednesday afternoon. The only side that will have to wait until Saturday to make its debut in the competition is Sweden.

It is the clash between Sweden's two rivals in three-team Group C, Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, that will step out in the arguably most exhilarating clash of the 13-game schedule on opening day.

RUSSIA vs. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - Group C, Wednesday 17:00 CEST

The two sides clashed less than a year ago at EuroBasket 2015 as Russia cruised past Bosnia and Herzegovina 81-61 but the result proved non-consequential as neither team managed to advance to the Round of 16.

If you don't remember any of that you will be pleased to hear it is largely irrelevant to Wednesday’s encounter because both teams have changed a lot in the past 12 months. First of all both operate under new management as Sergey Bazarevich has taken the reins of Russia and Damir Mulaomerovic is at the helm of the Balkan side. Secondly, both sides welcomed back this summer their respective big stars that had missed out on FIBA EuroBasket 2015.

Nonetheless, neither team will be able to field full-strength line-ups on Wednesday. Russia will have to make do without Aleksey Shved who sustained an injury during preparations that has ruled him out of the Qualifiers. Vitaly Fridzon is also out of the Wednesday game due to injury, although in his case it is not clear whether he will be able to return to action later in the qualification race.

Bosnia and Herzegovina on the other hand decided to spare Mirza Teletovic the 10-hour trip from Sarajevo to Perm. The Bosnian star is fully fit and will take part in all the remaining games in Group C, but the doctors advised against putting his body under such strain, due to the pulmonary embolism he suffered in early 2015.

There is still an abundance of star power and plenty of compelling reasons however to watch the Wednesday game, with the battle in the paint between Timofey Mozgov on one hand and Jusuf Nurkic on the other by far the most intriguing of all. The two centers spent the first part of the 2014/15 season as team-mates at the Denver Nuggets and the then NBA rookie Nurkic was handed a spot in the starting five after Mozgov was traded to Cleveland Cavaliers in January 2015.

On the wing meanwhile, Sergey Karasev is expected to assume a bigger load offensively in the absence of Shved and Fridzon from the perimeter and has licence to shoot from coach Bazarevich. It will be interesting to see the former Brooklyn Nets player go up against young talents such as Nedim Buza or Dzanan Musa.

NETHERLANDS vs. AUSTRIA - Group B, Wednesday 20:00 CET

While every single player on every team that participates in the Qualifiers has put in a lot of work this summer, the Wednesday clash between Dutch and the Austrians features some of the most motivated men in this qualification race.

Netherlands made it to the Final Round of EuroBasket last year, for the first time since 1989. Their experience in Zagreb in September 2015 made such an impression on them that the main core of that team returns this summer aiming to repeat the feat.

Austria on the other hand last took part in the big tournament as far back as 1977 and with the biggest part of an excellent generation having entered their peak years, they have taken a series of steps in order to end the wait. A well-respected coach in Kestutis Kemzura was brought in and with the exception of NBA rookie Jakob Poeltl, the players responded to his call this summer.

If you plan to watch the Wednesday clash in Leiden, be prepared for a rewarding but nonetheless low-scoring affair as both teams are capable to show a tough-as-nails defence and both will feel comfortable in a grit-and-grind battle.

Netherlands always rely on collective effort on offence but swingman Worthy De Jong has been in superb form lately and could be their main weapon on Wednesday, while Austria’s chances will depend largely on how frequently and efficiently they can feed the ball to their free-scoring big man Rasid Mahalbasic.

Wednesday's remaining games are:
Group A: Belgium vs. Cyprus at 18:00 CEST; Iceland vs. Switzerland at 21:15 CEST
Group B: Germany vs. Denmark at 19:30 CEST
Group D: Estonia vs. Belarus at 18:10 CEST; Poland vs. Portugal at 20:00 CEST
Group E: Ukraine vs. Bulgaria at 18:00 CEST; Slovenia vs. Kosovo at 20:00 CEST
Group F: Georgia vs. Albania at 17:00 CEST; Montenegro vs. Slovak Republic at 21:00 CEST
Group G: Hungary vs. Great Britain at 18:00 CEST; MKD vs. Luxembourg at 20:30 CEST

FIBA