--- title: "Ukraine Beats Latvia in Riga: Mykhailiuk's 25 Points Save the National Team in a Dramatic Finish" description: "The Ukrainian national basketball team beat Latvia 84:82 in a friendly match in Riga. The top performer was Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk with 25 points, while Maksym Shulga made his debut for the national team ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers." date: 2026-08-23T19:58:05.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-basketball-beats-latvia-mykhailiuk-25-points tags: [ukraine-basketball, latvia, friendly-match, mykhailiuk, world-cup-2027] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine Beats Latvia in Riga: Mykhailiuk's 25 Points Save the National Team in a Dramatic Finish ![Ukraine vs Latvia basketball match in Riga: a Latvian player with the ball under pressure from Ukraine's defenders in a dramatic final](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/ukraina-basketbol-pobeda-nad-latviey-mihaylyuk-25-ochkov/ukraina-basketbol-pobeda-nad-latviey-mihaylyuk-25-ochkov-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine beat Latvia 84:82 in a friendly match in Riga - Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk was the top performer with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists - Maksym Shulga made his national team debut, scoring 8 points in 22 minutes - Ukraine prepared for the match without Skapintsev, while Klyiko left the team's camp - On August 28 the team will play Greece, and on August 31 — Montenegro, in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers The Ukrainian national basketball team put on a successful "dress rehearsal" ahead of the start of the 2027 World Cup qualification cycle. In Riga, the team defeated the home side — the Latvian national team — in a friendly match that ended 84:82. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA [citing the official website of the Ukrainian Basketball Federation](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/basketball/generalna-repetitsiya-proyshla-uspishno-zbirna-1787514916.html). The decisive performer in the game was Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who recorded 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. ### Dramatic finish after a 12-point lead The game unfolded in waves. Latvia started with the advantage, building a nine-point lead in the first quarter, but in the second ten-minute period the Ukrainians delivered a powerful stretch, scoring 34 points. The team played well on defense, regularly stealing the ball and breaking away on fast breaks, and before halftime they made 9 of 11 three-point attempts for an overall shooting percentage of around 60%. Ukraine headed to the break with a 12-point lead — 55:43. After halftime the picture changed sharply: for nearly 15 minutes the Ukrainians struggled to score, and Latvia, winning the third quarter 22:9, took the lead. In the decisive quarter the home side even extended their advantage, but the Ukrainian team managed to turn the game around — scoring returned in attack, and in the clutch moments key plays were made by Oleksandr Kovaliuk, and the blue-and-yellow side held on for an 84:82 win. ### Mykhailiuk carries, Shulga debuts The game's top scorer was Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who tallied 25 points (23 of them before halftime) and added 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Particular attention should be given to Maksym Shulga's debut for the national team: in 22 minutes on the court he scored 8 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists. The starting five also featured Kovaliuk (11 points, 6 assists), Tkachenko (9 points, 4 rebounds), Bobrov (8 points, 4 rebounds), and Voinalovich (4 points). Coming off the bench were Kobzisty (8), Kovalov (5), Lukashov (4), Shelist (2), Novitsky, and Tertyshnyk. ### Roster losses before the match The Ukrainian coaching staff approached this game with significant roster issues. Dmytro Skapintsev did not play in the match against Latvia, and Maksym Klyiko left the national team's camp. Despite these losses, the team managed to show character and win a tense game, which was an important signal ahead of the official qualifying matches. ### The road to 2027 World Cup qualification After the friendly with Latvia, the Ukrainian team shifts its focus to the 2027 World Cup qualifying tournament. On August 28 the Ukrainians will play a nominally home match against Greece in Riga, and on August 31 Ainars Bagatskis's team will play away against Montenegro. It is worth recalling that the series of friendly matches as part of the preparation for qualification began on August 20, with a loss in the first game to the University of Arizona team. Thus, the win over Latvia became an important stage of preparation ahead of the decisive qualifying matches. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [The dress rehearsal went well: the Ukrainian national team beat Latvia](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/basketball/generalna-repetitsiya-proyshla-uspishno-zbirna-1787514916.html) - Основной источник: счет 84:82, статистика Михайлюка (25+6+5), дебют Шульги, кадровые потери, расписание отбора. - [The Latvian national basketball team lost to the Ukrainian team](https://rus.tvnet.lv/8532644/basketbolisty-sbornoy-latvii-ustupili-komande-ukrainy) - Латвийская сторона подтверждает поражение в матче с Украиной. - [The Ukrainian national team's starting five named for the friendly match against Latvia](https://sport.ua/news/900593-nazvana-startovaya-pyaterka-sbornoy-ukrainy-na-tovarishcheskiy-match-s-latviey) - Подтверждает статус товарищеского матча и состав стартовой пятерки. - [Mykhailiuk's influence and when basketball will catch up with football in Ukraine. Interview with the key player of the blue ...](https://www.ua-football.com/sport/basketball/1783183301-vliyanie-mihaylyuka-i-kogda-basketbol-dogonit-futbol-v-ukraine-intervyu-s-klyuchevym-igrokom-sine-zheltyh.html) - Контекстный источник о роли Михайлюка в сборной. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What was the final score of the Ukraine — Latvia match? **A:** The Ukrainian national team beat Latvia 84:82 in a friendly match in Riga. ### Q: Who was Ukraine's top performer in this match? **A:** Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, who scored 25 points, as well as recording 6 rebounds and 5 assists. ### Q: Who made their debut for the Ukrainian national team in this game? **A:** Maksym Shulga, who in 22 minutes scored 8 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists. ### Q: What roster losses did Ukraine have before the match? **A:** Dmytro Skapintsev did not play, and Maksym Klyiko left the national team's camp. ### Q: When are the Ukrainian national team's next matches in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers? **A:** August 28 — a match against Greece in Riga; August 31 — an away game against Montenegro.