If you're a basketball fan in Skopje today, you have reason to be grinning from ear-to-ear.

There's nothing quite like the feeling of a huge basketball triumph like what FYR Macedonia achieved on Wednesday against Estonia.

Before the game, Estonia were undefeated and had proven to be the surprise package of the additional qualifying round for EuroBasket 2007.

However, after the final buzzer, FYROM were 95-50 victors.

"It's hard to comment on this game," Coach Titt Sokk said.

"I maybe expected a defeat, but not a destruction, not this way. I don't know what to say."

Here's what you can say.

Israel had been looking like the team to beat in the additional qualifying round, but now they have a very big hurdle to clear if they are to reach the EuroBasket finals for a second straight time.

That hurdle - should they beat Sweden on Saturday - is FYROM.

		“	I maybe expected a defeat, but not this way	„
		Estonia coach Tiit Sokk

Two names are now rolling off the tongues of Macedonia fans after Wednesday's performance: Vbrica Stefanov and Jane Petrovski.

Stefanov, the team's captain and without doubt the best player Macedonia has at the moment, was the star in the defeat of Estonia.

He converted five of six attempts from three-point range and finished with a game-high 17 points.

And maybe more importantly, he woke up his sleepy team-mates in the first quarter.

"This is another big step towards our final aim, qualification to the EuroBasket in Spain," said Stefanov.

On the night, FYROM hit an amazing 18 of 31 shots from three-point range.

The biggest development for the small Balkan country - other than their crucial result - was the emergence of playmaker Petrovski.

He had 13 points, all in the final quarter, and his assists looked as if they had come from another place, where a different style of basketball is played.

"This was a great game," the point guard said after the win over Estonia.

"To be a part of the National Team is a great achievement and a dream of every player.

"I wish that everybody could feel what I felt this evening.

"I wish to thank my teammates, who are unique, and the coaching staff that had confidence in me."

Sokk tried to offer some kind of explanation for his team's performance.

"The weather in Macedonia is very difficult for us, it is very hot here," he said.

"This is our first game on a court like this, in an arena so close."

Those listening in didn't quite know what to make of his comments, until he added: "Macedonia played very well.

"Our opponents had more self confidence, and also a great shooting percentage. I will say once more, none of us expected this kind of a result.

"By the second half, it was already too late to change anything. We were a completely different team than I expected to see."