UKR – Volkov upbeat as Ukraine appoint Cherniy; Tkachenko back in the saddle

KIEV (EuroBasket 2011/EuroBasket Women 2011) - Ukraine basketball great Olexandr Volkov is hoping to see his men’s national team not only reach next year’s EuroBasket in Lithuania, but the London 2012 Olympics as well.

The country’s hoops federation has handed the reins of the team to BC Kyiv coach Vitaliy Cherniy.

The job had been vacant since Valentyn Melnychuk left after last year's Relegation Round games.

The Ukrainians avoided the drop into Division B and will therefore try to reach EuroBasket 2011 in Lithuania.

They will take on Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Hungary and Great Britain in qualifying games this summer.

Volkov, the president of the Ukraine Basketball Federation, said: "The aim is to advance to the EuroBasket Final Round and then to qualify for the Olympic Games.

"Cherniy has been appointed because he's done a great job of coaching BC Kyiv this season - the team that will be the base of the national team."

Cherniy has done a good job with Kyiv, who are fourth in Ukraine's Superleague with 16 wins and eight defeats.

He's no stranger to the national team after serving as an assistant to Vitaliy Lebedintsev three years ago.

Cherniy is optimistic, but knows that numerous factors will determine whether or not Ukraine achieve their aims.

"The success of the team will depend on whether all players buy into my system," he said.

"It will also depend on whether everyone, including my assistants, who I need to carefully select, are going to be on the same page."

Ukraine will begin their qualifying campaign at home against the Macedonians on August 2.

Familiar face leads Ukraine women

The women’s team, meanwhile, is to once again be coached by Ukraine basketball great Maryna Tkachenko.

Tkachenko, who left the post before the qualifying campaign for the EuroBasket Women 2009 in Latvia with the federation deciding to have a full-time coach in the position, has replaced Volodymyr Bryukhovestskyy at the helm.

She will continue to coach second-division side Tim Skuf.

Tkachenko is one of the finest players ever to don a Ukraine jersey.

One of her best moments came in the EuroBasket Women 1995 gold-medal game against Italy in 1995.

The 1.86m guard had 24 points and nine rebounds as the Ukrainians prevailed 77-66.

Ukraine will take on Germany, Great Britain and Slovakia in qualifying games for EuroBasket Women 2011, which will be staged in Poland.

FIBA