Heiko Rannula, the head coach of the Estonian national basketball team, has announced a squad of 16 players who will gather in Tallinn starting Monday to prepare for two World Cup qualifying matches against Sweden. This announcement follows last week's reveal of candidate players, from whom several notable athletes were not selected, including guards Märt Rosenthal and Siim-Markus Post, as well as forward Gregor Kuuba and center Taavi Jurkatamm. The exclusion of these players highlights the competitive nature of the selection process ahead of the important qualifiers.

Estonia's group in the World Cup qualifiers includes Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Sweden, making the upcoming matches critical for their qualification prospects. The first round of qualifiers took place last November, where Estonia achieved a remarkable victory against Slovenia, winning 94-93 away, and narrowly lost to the Czech Republic at home, 97-92. These results have placed the Estonian team in a strong position, but they will need to maintain their momentum in the upcoming games against Sweden to keep their hopes alive.

The two matches against Sweden are set for February 27 in Stockholm and March 1 in Tallinn, at the sold-out Unibet Arena. As the Estonian men's national basketball team trains for these crucial games, the support from fans will be vital, contributing to a high-stakes atmosphere as they aim for success in the qualifiers and a potential spot in the World Cup. The team's performance in these upcoming fixtures could significantly influence the future of basketball in Estonia and the players’ careers.