Preview: Georgia and Iceland fighting for history, or will Ukraine trip them up in Group L?

MUNICH (Germany) - History will be at stake in the final window of Group L of the European Qualifiers as Georgia and Iceland are the favorites to book their first ticket to the FIBA Basketball World Cup - with Ukraine lurking with hopes of tripping them up at the last second. 

Georgia and Iceland go into the last two gamedays dreaming of sending their respective fan groups into absolute delirium with the two teams set to face off in their final game.  And it will all be decided on the final day.

12/18 games played
All First Round results carry over to Second Round

Thursday February 24, 2023

Netherlands v Georgia  - 19:30 CET - Almere Stad, Netherlands
Iceland v Spain - 20:45 CET - Reykjavik, Iceland
Italy v Ukraine - 21:00 CET - Livorno, Italy

Both Georgia and Iceland hold their fate in their own hands as two wins would get them the much-anticipated ticket to Asia this summer. Georgia have an easier first task as they head to already-eliminated Netherlands while Iceland host reigning world and European champions Spain. Ukraine, for their part, would be eliminated should they lose in Italy.

Sunday February 26,  2023

Georgia v Iceland - 17:00 CET  - Tbilisi, Georgia
Ukraine v Netherlands - 17:00 CET - Riga, Latvia
Spain v Italy - 18:00 CET - Caceres, Spain

The big game of the window will be Georgia hosting Iceland in Tbilisi and Georgia hold the advantage since they won the first showdown between these teams 88-85 in Iceland in November 2022. Should Iceland beat Spain on Gameday 11 - or if Netherlands knock off Georgia - the Nordic team would advance with any victory. If Georgia are ahead of Iceland in the standings, Iceland would need to win by at least four points. Ukraine however could still be in the mix if they grab two wins. Oh, not to be forgotten, the Spain v Italy game could decide which nation tops the standings at the end of the Qualifiers.

Players of note

John Petrucelli, Yannick Kraag and Sergio Scariolo's on-going search

The 30-year-old US-born John Petrucelli has made his Italian national team debut during the European Qualifiers, and he had a strong November 2022 window, averaging 6.0 points in nearly 20 minutes per game as an all-around contributor. Shortly after that window, Petrucelli broke a bone in his foot and missed more than two months of action and only returned on February 8. Petrucelli will come into the final window highly motivated after helping his club Germani Brescia to an unexpected run to their first Italian Cup title.

Yannick Kraag, for his part, represents another major hopeful in Netherlands' future. The 20-year-old Joventut Badalona wing offered a glimpse of what he can do in the last window, torching Ukraine for 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. With Netherlands already eliminated, it would not be a surprise if Kraag is once again given a chance to shine.

Spain already have locked up their spot at the World Cup and will go to Indonesia, Japan and Philippines as the reigning world and European champions. Yet head coach Sergio Scariolo continues to give new players a chance to show themselves in the Qualifiers. Of the 15 players on the team's preliminary roster for the window, six players have yet to play in the European Qualifiers and four have appeared in just one game.

 Here's where Group L teams are ranked in the FIBA World Rankings, as well as in Europe:

FIBA