Sweden's men's basketball team enters the second phase of the World Cup qualifiers for the championship in Qatar. The national team will first meet Finland in Helsinki on August 27 and then France in Stockholm three days later.
They do so with the strongest possible squad. NBA star Pelle Larsson has been selected and will lead the national team, while Bobi Klintman, who has experience in the NBA, is also in the team and captain Ludvig Håkanson is back after injury.
"It means an incredible amount, both short-term and long-term. Mainly because they are good basketball players but also because they can help us achieve good results and help us continue to build Swedish basketball," says Riipinen and continues:
I am grateful for them and they are incredible role models.
The national team coach is well aware that he is in charge of a national team that is in the midst of a rarely seen hype.
Goosebumps. You can understand the honour that we had to move because the hype was so big. I am very proud to represent Sweden in a time like this. For me, who gets to be in the middle of it, it is very inspiring, says Riipinen.
In the qualifying round, Sweden faces the toughest possible European opposition. But that's not scary.
Getting to the World Cup is tough but still open. We will go in with 100 percent faith in it but we know it is a long way off and that great performances will be needed. We will do everything we can. It is something that tickles to be in the second part of the qualifiers, says Riipinen.
27 August: Finland–Sweden, 17.30 in Helsinki.
August 30: Sweden–France, 5:30 PM in Stockholm
The squad:
Denzel Andersson, Bygdoszcz (Poland), Zaba Bangala, Löwen Braunschweig (Germany), Simon Birgander, Joventut (Spain), Victor Gaddefors, Twarde Pierniki (Poland), Pierre Hampton, Norrköping, Ludvig Håkanson, Joventut (Spain), Bobi Klintman, Virtus Bologna (Italy), Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat (USA), Barra Njie, Löwen Braunschweig (Germany), Oskar Palmquist, CB Zamora (Spain), Melwin Pantzar, Unicaja (Spain), Kenny Pohto, BC Juventus (Lithuania), Julius Price, Stanford (USA), Felix Terins, Oviedo (Spain).
The Men's Basketball World Cup will be held from August 27 to September 12, 2027 in Qatar.
For Sweden to reach there, the team must finish in the top three in the second qualifying round.
In the first qualifying round, against the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Estonia, all teams finished with three wins and three losses. Points difference decided which Sweden, Estonia and Slovenia advanced.
In the second qualifying round, they will face Belgium, Finland, France and Hungary. The teams will carry over their results from the first group stage. The three best-placed teams from the new six-team group will qualify for the World Cup.
