Teams sure have one ‘helluva' hard time getting wins in places like Skopje, and that's a big reason why Macedonia are back in the EuroBasket next year.

Led by the veteran guard and captain Vrbica Stefanov, and thanks to the dynamic,  all-round performances

Coach Jovica Arsic will lead MAcedonia at EuroBasket 2009.

of stars like Zadar's Todor Gecevski, Macedonia finished top of their qualifying group this year ahead of Latvia, Portugal and Estonia to earn a trip to the Final Round in Poland.

On Saturday,  they discovered they would go up against Greece and Croatia - two national sides that played at this summer's Olympics - and nemesis Israel.

The Israelis beat Macedonia at the EuroBasket in 1999, and in the decisive game of the Additional Qualifying Tournament last year for EuroBasket 2007. The Croatians have also won their two encounters when the stakes were high, during qualifying for EuroBasket 2003.

Rather than quake in their boots with what appears to be a very tough draw, Stefanov and Macedonia are excited.

"When the qualifications finished, when we topped our group, all of us were aware of the task in front of us," Stefanov said.

"All I can say is that every single one of us in the national team wished to play against Greece, to finally see what we are made of.

"Now we have that chance, so let's use it."

The challenge for Macedonia will be psychological as well because they will not have the rabid support they enjoy at home, though thousands of fans are expected to travel to the city of Poznan for the Group A games from places like Skopje.

"I personally think that we can match all three opponents," Stefanov said.

"The Greek side is the favorite in our group, we know Croatia and especially Israel very well and this is a chance to finally get over the Israel syndrome.

"Nobody is invincible, so is the case in our group.

"We started the preparations the first moment we found out who our opponents would be."

To advance from the group would be a fitting end to what is expected to be the last international games for Stefanov, who turns 35 on December 19.

"It will all depend on our performance," he said.

"This might be the end of a generation that played for more than 10 years together, so we want to use the opportunity to leave a mark in the history of Macedonian basketball."

Jovica Arsic, the coach of Madedonia, says it's okay to be excited but he has also urged everyone to keep their feet on the ground.

"Now we have extra motivations, so we have to use that moment in our favor," he said.

"We should concentrate on all three games and use every single chance that is given. We have to stay calm, on the ground, to prepare well so that we can match our opponents in the first phase.

"The competition system demands games every day so we must be focused all the time. It is more likely to win against Israel, a team that comes from the fourth pot than against Greece, the first pot team, but I won't exclude anything."

In their one and so far only EuroBasket appearance in 1999, Macedonia finished 13th and Greece were 16th while Croatia were 11th and Israel ninth.

The best performance of any national basketball side from the country is fourth place at the European Championship for Cadets in 1995.

The Greek basketball fans will be well aware of Macedonia, and particularly Stefanov (AEK and Olympiacos), Pero Antic (AEK) and Jeremiah Massey (ARIS) who used to play in Greece.

Dimitar Mirakovski currently plays in the Greek second division (Ago Rethimno Almeco, Greece-A2).

Gecevski, meanwhile, needs no introduction as he is arguably the best player and the captain of Croatian side Zadar.