GB Secure Eurobasket Spot Despite Lithuania Loss

The celebrations are underway for Great Britain Senior Women after they successfully punched a ticket for EuroBasket Women 2015 to ensure they will re-join their fellow elite women’s basketball nations at the prestigious Final Round for the third time in a row.

Head coach Peter Buckle and his team had planned to engage in a potential do-or-die showdown with Lithuania in their final qualification fixture on Wednesday night, only to be given an unexpected safe passage to next year’s tournament ahead of the tip-off as results elsewhere confirmed their coveted status.

With Lithuania also grabbing a precious spot, it made for a real party atmosphere in all corners of the University of Worcester Arena and although Great Britain eventually fell 70-63 in a high-quality contest to finish runners-up in Group B with a 4-2 record, it didn’t matter to a jubilant Coach Buckle.

“I am so very proud of my team,” said the play-caller after a triumphant first summer at the helm. We have qualified for EuroBasket Women 2015 and I think we have done so with limited preparation time, with everyone just having to come together and perform.”

“Our experienced players have all stood up to be counted as leaders, while all our inexperienced and new or younger players have all come in and done a fantastic job. We have shown everyone once again what Great Britain basketball is all about and we feel that we are a team on the rise.”

“We are coming up the world rankings and we want to continue to grow.”

He added, “In reality, the difference against a world class opposition like Lithuania was only the toss of a coin and I feel we have shown that we can also be a world class team because of the way we have played and also how we are progressing.”

Missing standout forward Temi Fagbenle, the hosts had initially moved in front early thanks a couple of baskets from Azania Stewart, although it was the visitors who soon got rolling more quickly – despite being without marquee player, Ginatre Petronyte.

They moved 24-17 ahead in the second quarter, but Lauren Thomas-Johnson inspired a 10-2 run for Great Britain as the home team took their turn to get their noses in front. Lithuania then proceeded to post a telling 13-3 burst either side of the interval and trailing 39-30, Great Britain needed a lift. It came from throughout the roster, as five different scorers helped them get back on level terms by the time the start of the last quarter arrived. However, while Rachael Vanderwal sunk a big-three pointer to make it 50-50, Lithuania found a higher gear.

The visitors rattled off 10 of the next 12 points in the contest to take the initiative and it proved to be a valuable cushion as they staved off a late Great Britain salvage mission to ease over the finishing line.
Azania Stewart excelled with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Rachael Vanderwal registered a typically all-action 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. A full list of statistics from the game is available here.

But the big news is that despite losing UK Sport funding earlier this year, Great Britain will be one of twenty teams who will step out for the main event in Hungary and Romania next year, looking to build further after their best ever finish at a EuroBasket Women tournament in 2013.