Basketball: Poles hopeful ahead of World Cup as groups drawn
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
19.03.2019 01:00
Fans are hopeful after the Polish men's basketball team was drawn to play China, Venezuela and Ivory Coast in the group stage of this year’s World Cup, a newspaper has reported.
Former NBA and USA national team superstar Kobe Bryant (right) draws teams during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Draw in Shenzhen, China, on Saturday. Photo: EPA/JEROME FAVRE
Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper comments that the draw held by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the world governing body for basketball, in China on Saturday, was lucky for Poland. It yielded what appears to be an easy group for the Polish team, offering it a chance to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
Gazeta Wyborcza observes that Poland is ranked 25th worldwide, Venezuela is No. 20, China is No. 30, and Ivory Coast is 64th, being the lowest-ranked World Cup team.
The paper points out that Poland has managed to avoid basketball powerhouses such as the United States, Spain and France.
Poland last month beat the Netherlands in its final World Cup qualifier.
The last time the Polish men’s basketball team played in the World Cup was in Uruguay in 1967. It finished fifth at the time.
The FIBA 2019 Basketball World Cup will be held in China from August 31 to September 15.
(gs/pk)
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza