MIES (Switzerland) - After three months, the national teams are finally back in action this week, continuing their march towards the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
A total of 16 games will unfold on Friday, with 10 teams looking to protect their perfect records from the first two games of the campaign.
With every result carrying through to the Second Round, each game has the potential to make or break a nation's hopes of eventually reaching the World Cup.
Who do you think will continue their campaign with a win on Friday? Or which one of the 10 winless teams will get off the mark? Cast your vote below and let us know!
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Ukraine have never won three games in a row during a single campaign of the Qualifiers. They take on Spain on Friday, but they have lost all three of their previous matchups in this competition.
Spain allow their opponents just 5.0 three-pointers per game, the best mark in the European Qualifiers.
Greece's all-time record at home in the World Cup Qualifiers: 11-1. They face Montenegro on Friday, winners of six of their last nine road games.
Israel face Cyprus on Friday. Israel lost 10 of their last 12 games in the Qualifiers, and have led by 5+ points in only two of their last eight games.
Latvia started this process at 1-1, and are set to play host to Poland in the battle of the last FIBA EuroBasket hosts. Latvia's last 13 games in the World Cup Qualifiers: 12-1. Poland, meanwhile, scored 80+ in four straight games.
Mateusz Ponitka's last three road games in World Cup Qualifiers: 18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Poland's record in last nine games when Ponitka scores 15+ points: 7-2.
Georgia face Denmark in a clash of styles: Denmark lead the way with 17.5 fast break points per game in European Qualifiers, while Georgia are second-worst in that department with 5.0 per game (Cyprus, 3.0).
Speaking of Georgia: Tornike Shengelia scored 10+ points in each of his 14 World Cup Qualifiers encounters. No other player has more than eight such games in a row.
Serbia won their last four home games in the World Cup Qualifiers, including a 77-76 battle with Türkiye in November 2022. But Türkiye are on an even more impressive streak, winning their last three games by 20+ points.
Two players to watch in Serbia vs. Türkiye: Nikola Tanaskovic, averaging 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in his first two games; and Onuralp Bitim, whose career-high in road games for Türkiye happened in Serbia (18pts in November 2022).
Croatia take on defending champions Germany. Croatia's last two games: 2-0. Previous 12: 2-10. They lead the European Qualifiers with 2.5 points allowed from fast break situations and 4.5 points allowed from turnovers per game.
Germany's last 13 World Cup Qualifiers games: 12-1. They lead the European Qualifiers with 23.5 second chance points per game.
Mario Hezonja's four World Cup Qualifiers games: 19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.0 three-pointers per game.
Hungary (2-0) host France (1-1) in Group G, looking to win three straight games for the first time ever in the Qualifiers. France, meanwhile, have the deepest roster of the Qualifiers, with 61.3 percent of all their points coming from the bench. Hungary's starters score 83.0 percent of all their points, also most in European Qualifiers.
Finland are the best three-point shooting team of the World Cup Qualifiers in Europe, knocking down 10+ three-pointers in 17 different games, including one in the previous Window. They are up against Belgium and Retin Obasohan, author of 30+ point games twice in his last three outings.
Tomas Satoransky and Czechia travel to Slovenia. Satoransky had 16 assists in his last game in the Qualifiers, a new record for European players in this competition.
Sweden have Ludde Hakanson back in the lineup to face Estonia. The point guard had 24 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists against Estonia in November 2022.
Portugal will play Romania at home, looking to end a four-game losing streak and register their first home win of the World Cup Qualifiers.
Expect Great Britain and Italy to be in a close affair: Five of Italy's last six games in the Qualifiers ended with a margin of five points or fewer.
Iceland's last three games at home: 0-3. Previous six: 5-1. They face Lithuania and Ignas Sargiunas, who made 7-of-13 three-pointers in his first two games.
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