Sweden will be ready for "hardest' group - Hakanson

STOCKHOLM (FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers) - Sweden missed out on FIBA EuroBasket 2015 and the Scandinavians know it will be no easy task to return, with a tough battle lying ahead in the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers.

Sweden have been drawn into Group C along with Russia and Bosnia and Herzegovina - a grouping that Swedish guard Ludvig Hakanson feels will be a major challenge.

"I think we got the hardest group by far," said the 19-year-old Hakanson, who would love to be able to play in his second continental championship following FIBA EuroBasket 2013.

"Both Bosnia and Russia have many top level players."

Hakanson said he has gotten to know the Russian players relatively well from playing against Russian clubs this season with Latvian club VEF Riga in the VTB United League.

"Russia are a very complete team with Alexey Shved as the main guy. We are underdogs for sure, but the last time we met them at EuroBasket 2013 we beat them," said Hakanson, referring to an 81-62 win in the first round Group D in Koper.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will also be a hard fight, says the Swedish talent.

"Bosnia also have a lot of Euroleague players and some NBA players. It will be a very big challenge for us," said Hakanson, who last month moved from VEF Riga to Spanish club Baloncesto Seville.

"(Mirza) Teletovic is probably one of the best shooters from Europe."

Still, Sweden aren't that bad themselves, Hakanson remarked.

"With everybody, we also have a good team. And our coach Vedrad (Bosnic) is from Bosnia, so he will probably know everything about them."

While Hakanson is less than thrilled about the results of the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers Draw, he is looking forward to playing national team games at home.

"I've only played three national team games at home in my career and I loved it. So I hope we can fill the arenas like the women's team did and play great basketball and compete against two top national teams," said the Matteus-native.

Hakanson also is in favour of the up-coming FIBA national team windows during the season.

"I really like the new system. The club season is very long and with a summer full of basketball the season never really ends," he said.

"With more time off during the summer, you are both going to have more time off and have time to work on your game, something you can't do during the season."

FIBA