The players of  Macedonia's basketball team are the new heroes in their country and it's not just because they have booked a place in next year's EuroBasket in Poland.

No, sports fans in the country couldn't help but admire the passion and flair Jovica Arsic's men showed in their qualifying campaign.

"We will not stop here," said 35-year-old Macedonian captain Vrbica Stefanov.

"We will go to Poland to represent our country, to show our personality, to give another dimension to the basketball world.

"We will all start the new season in our teams with pleasure, and with the greatest desire to show our best at the EuroBasket next year."

Macedonia edged out Latvia for first place in Group B of EuroBasket Division A with Portugal third and Estonia fourth.

The successful summer wasn't lost on anyone.

It turned out to be a state occasion.

The second greatest success of Macedonia basketball (after competing in the final round in France nine years ago) was recognized by the country's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who welcomed the players to his office.

There, he promised to follow the team in Poland, although he wasn't able to be at the qualification games due to state matters.

"The country thanks you for the joy that you gave us," he said.

The Basketball Federation of Macedonia, which has received pledges of support from the government and the state agency for youth and sports, is already working on ‘Project Poland'.

"This is a mega project for us," said Daniel Dimevski, the president of the basketball federation.

"I hope that the entire nation enjoyed this achievement and this success, one of the greatest in our independent history.

"I am pleased that our country is feeling proud of winning our group. We will show that our place is with the best of Europe.

"All of us being part of this event will give our maximum to represent our country in the best way possible."

The celebration after the last game, Macedonia's 87-75 win over Estonia on Saturday which gave the team a 4-2 record, carried over from the basketball court to the Cuban restaurant in Skopje that is renowned for evening parties.

The establishment is owned by a basketball legend in Macedonia and an Olympic silver medalist with Yugoslavia, Blagoja Georgievski Bustur.

He was more than pleased to welcome the Macedonian players to his club, and to give them some advice on being top level players.

That evening, there was an even more landmark occasion.

Macedonia's national team manager Ilija Merganovski agreed to have the mustache he had worn for more than 20 years shaved off.

Pero Antic performed the "operation" and was assisted by fellow star player Todor Gecevski.

"It was a promise that I had to keep," Merganovski said.

"I am not sorry for my loss, the mustache will grow back, hopefully to celebrate another success in Poland."

YEEEAAAH, shit va nice.

PEACE