Head coach Joe Prunty conceded Britain’s men didn’t get the fast start that was required as they exited the EuroBasket at the first round but was proud of his player’s efforts nonetheless in Slovenia.
Britain went into their final Group A clash needing to defeat Ukraine to progress to the second round, a result that would have marked their greatest performance at a European Championships in the modern era.
It wasn’t to be as they fell to a 87-68 defeat however, two wins and three defeats from their five first-round games, still matched their best-ever showing of the modern era at a Europeans.
Devon van Oostrum and Kieron Achara led Britain with 12 points each, better than that of Ukraine’s top-scorers Kyryl Natyazhko and Ihor Zaytsev who both contributed 11 in the victory.
Britain lost the first quarter 21-18 and second 27-13 and Prunty, while ruing a slow start against Ukraine, admitted he was more than happy with how the players carried themselves in Slovenia.
"We battled once the game got going but we needed to get it from the start. We got our rhythm back, cut it to one but in the second quarter it was tough for us," said Prunty.
"I was proud of the fight we had in the second half, our guys tried to compete. We were trying to pressure, trying to get more possessions in the game.
"But it was a great effort by Ukraine."
© Sportsbeat 2013