MOSCOW (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Russia have a couple of fascinating tests coming up in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers with a game at unbeaten France (2-0) on February 23 and another at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1) two days later.

So what is the mood in the camp? Sergei Bazarevich's side won one of its two games in November. After losing 81-76 at Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Russians returned home and fell behind by 14 to Belgium before battling back to claim a 76-69 victory.

Russia, without guard Aleksey Shved of BC Khimki and Brooklyn Nets center Timofey Mozgov, their two biggest stars in the side that finished fourth at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 - as well as CSKA Moscow duo Nikita Kurbanov and Andrey Vorontsevich - relied on other talents.

EuroBasket team members Dimitrii Kulagin, 25, and his 23-year-old brother, Mikhail, were two of the players that had more responsibility in the games. The latter had made only brief appearances at the EuroBasket but in the World Cup Qualifiers, he played 19 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina and 8 against Belgium.

"I am very glad that our players, with respect to the younger generation, got some game time and took on leadership roles in the absence of those guys who play in the EuroLeague, for CSKA and Khimki," Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) President Andrei Kirilenko said. "For me, that is very important."

Coach Bazarevich had hoped for two wins but settled for just one.

"Sometimes we played very well, but we lacked stability," he said. "But the team is still under construction and I hope we can use the (Belgium) game as a step in the right direction."

"I AM VERY GLAD THAT OUR PLAYERS, WITH RESPECT TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION, GOT SOME GAME TIME AND TOOK ON LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE ABSENCE OF THOSE GUYS. FOR ME THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT" KirilenkoKirilenko

Against Belgium, it helped that Sergey Karasev played. Ill and unavailable for the clash at Bosnia and Herzegovina, he returned and had 14 points and 6 rebounds.

The 24-year-old says Russia could have been more convincing winners against Belgium.

"It's nice that you win in front of your fans, but you need to play a little better in the end," he said in the Russian media. "We led by 15 but didn't get that advantage in the end. But after a bad defeat in Bosnia, I think this victory gives us confidence in the February games.

"Let's see what changes are going to be made on the roster, and what players come, but one victory and one defeat is still better than two defeats."

Mikhail Kulagin's minutes increased in the World Cup Qualifiers

There was another element to the November qualifiers that pleased Kirilenko. Russia are eager to take the national team around the country to give more fans the opportunity to see their favorite team.

"THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILLING TO STAGE THE QUALIFIERS OF THE NATIONAL TEAM. AND OUR PRIMARY TASK IS TO GO WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEEN YET" KirilenkoKirilenko

The game against Belgium was staged in Nizhny Novgorod.

"There was excellent organization of the game," Kirilenko said. "All that concerns the technical requirements and the game itself were fulfilled... There are a lot of people willing to stage the Qualifiers of the Russian national team. And our primary task is to go where we haven't been yet."

FIBA