National Basketball Federation
of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Road to China 2019: Are the Steppen Wolves destined for their first World Cup appearance?

07.02.2019    Views: 932
Source: FIBA

ASTANA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Kazakhstan have never appeared on the FIBA Basketball World Cup stage, but all that could change if they win both their games in the final Asian Qualifiers window.

In this third of a five-part series, we place upstarts Kazakhstan under the microscope and see if they can make basketball history by making it to their first ever World Cup.

Kazakhstan now have 4 losses against 6 defeats in Group F. They are at fifth place in the group and would have already been eliminated in the previous window had they not pulled off a shocking upset against the Philippines in Manila. That result breathed new life into the national team, and though unlikely, they can still qualify to the World Cup for the first time in their country's history.

For that to happen, though, an ideal confluence of results must take place. First, Kazakhstan needs to win both games in the next window, most especially their final outing against the Filipinos. At best, Kazakhstan will finish 4th place in Group F, and they can potentially qualify to the World Cup if Jordan from Group E will finish with a worse record.

If the Steppen Wolves falter and lose both final window games or even just the match against the Philippines, then they can practically kiss their slim World Cup hopes adieu.

Kazakhstan at the FIBAWC.


Kazakhstan has never made it to the FIBA Basketball World Cup. They came closest when they finished 8th place at the FIBA Asia Cup 2013 in Manila. Their best ever performance at the continental level was finishing 3rd place in the Asian Games 2002 in Busan, Korea.

Veteran Rustam Yergali and head coach Renatas Kurilionokas.


At 32 years old, Rustam Yergali is one of the most seasoned players on the Kazakh roster. The 6ft 4in (1.92m) combo guard has been a fixture on the national team since debuting in 2005. Since then, the only FIBA Asia Cup he has missed was in 2011, where Kazakhstan failed to qualify.

Not surprisingly, he has not missed a game yet in the Asian Qualifiers, and he was a vital cog in their monumental upset over the Filipinos, 92-88.

"I am proud of our team for that win," he said. "Our team showed character in our win over the Philippines. We played for each other, we supported each other and attacked as a team. We thank all the people who believe in us."

He tallied 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in that victory, no doubt one of the most memorable in the national team's history. Of course, the veteran is hoping for more good things in the next window, as is their head coach Renatas Kurilionokas, who wants to see even more disciplined play from his wards as they take on the Boomers and Team Pilipinas anew.

"Discipline will be crucial," he remarked. "If we are disciplined to follow our gameplan, we can win."

The Steppen Wolves have their backs against the wall, though, as Australia will not hold back despite successfully qualifying to the World Cup, and the Filipinos should be back to full strength with Andray Blatche returning to the national pool.

Expert Opinion - Enzo Flojo.

Coming off a rousing result against the Philippines, Kazakhstan fell short against Japan but were still competitive. All that means the Steppen Wolves will be entering the final window brimming with confidence. Add to that the fact that they're playing at home with new naturalized player Anthony Clemmons and it shouldn't be surprising if the Kazakhs come out with guns blazing.

Having said that, however, Kazakhstan's final two games won't be easy. First, they'll host Australia, who, despite already qualifying to the World Cup, are still looking to gain momentum and improve their odds of getting into a favorable World Cup group. The Boomers can do that by getting as many wins as possible in the Asian Qualifiers. After that, the Steppen Wolves will take on payback-minded Philippines, who are also fighting for one of the last few tickets to the World Cup. That fixture is sure to be a barn-burner.

For Kazakhstan to get at least one win in the final window and have a sliver of a shot at making it to the World Cup, they will need their big guns - Alex Zhigulin, Rustam Yergali and Anton Bykov to be at their sharpest. It also goes without saying that Clemmons has to make a major impact for Kazakhstan. If he can put up big numbers against the likes of Australia's Jason Cadee or the Philippines' Jayson Castro, then we may just see the Kazakhs make history.



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