When world number five Slovenia, who are also reigning European champions, are on Swedish soil, it’s a lot about Luka Doncic.
According to basketball expert Nick Rajacic, Doncic is the best basketball player to ever come to Sweden to play an official competition match.
Ludvig Håkansson is inclined to agree.
– That’s probably right. He is one of the absolute best in the world and very complete. We must try to make him uncomfortable, says Håkansson.
The 23-year-old broke through as a teenager and was first drafted by Real Madrid to then go to the NBA team Dallas Mavericks 2018. Last season, he was noted on average for 28.4 points per game, which was the third best in the entire league.
– It is such a player you have to put under constant pressure. Then he is probably someone who does not usually play so much defense so you can try to take advantage of that during the match, says Sweden’s Pelle Larsson.
At the same time is Slovenia a star-studded national team that in addition to Doncic recruits players such as Goran Dragic (Brooklyn Nets), his brother Zoran Dragic (Cedevita Olimpija, Slovenia), Jaka Blazic (Bahcesehir Koleji, Turkey) and Mike Tobey (Valencia).
– We talk a lot about Luka (Doncic), but many of the others are in addition to being very good in attack also top defenders in Europe. It is important that we stand up to it, says Ludvig Håkansson who expects a physical match.
– I have been part of the national team for ten years and it is the best team I have ever met, he continues.
Sweden has never reached a basketball World Cup on the men’s side, or even moved on from the initial phase of the qualifiers. The hope was to turn points against Finland earlier this week, but after a good start, the Swedes lost the initiative as time went on. In the end, they fell by 69-85.
Despite that live the hope of reaching the next group game all the way to the finish line. With a victory against Slovenia, the Swedes are on. If Sweden loses, on the other hand, the national team is dependent on Croatia not defeating Finland and thus overtaking Sweden.
– We are fully aware of what applies, but the only thing we can influence is our match against Slovenia. If we do not win it, we can hope that the Finns beat Croatia, says Ludvig Håkansson.
Around 8,000 are expected to come to the Court to see the World Cup qualifier’s final match, which starts at 5 pm. Of these, Ludvig Håkansson estimates that over a hundred are his own family and friends.
– Yes, that is always the case when we play in Stockholm. You always get a little extra motivation when you play with them on the spot so it’s just fun, he says.
Facts. World Cup qualifier in basketball
The situation in the group:
Finland, 9 points.
2. Slovenia, 8 points.
3. Sweden, 7 points.
4. Croatia, 6 points.
Sweden’s remaining matches:
Sweden – Slovenia, 3 July.
Then Sweden goes on:
The top three in the group advance to the second group game round. There are three more teams waiting, which will be the top three of Israel, Germany, Estonia and Poland. The points from the first group game follow and Sweden meet the other three teams at home and away when they advance.
The second group game is played on three occasions: August 2022, November 2022 and February 2023. Three teams from each group (a total of four groups) then advance to the World Cup which is played in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines August 25-September 10, 2023.
Source: International Basketball Federation / TT.
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