GB Senior Women’s 12-player roster confirmed for EuroBasket qualifier

By Sam Neter on November 24, 2022

Great Britain Senior Women’s Head Coach Chema Buceta has confirmed the 12-player roster that will suit up to face Portugal in Porto as the National Team return to EuroBasket Women qualifying action on Thursday night (8:30pm tip off).

Leicester Riders’ Kirsty Brown is set for her first-ever cap, while London Lions’ Kennedy Leonard returns to the squad for the first time since 2019 after eligibility issues. No less than five Lions players make the team, a testament to their dominance in the WBBL in recent times – and it would likely have been six had Holly Winterburn not been battling injury.

Superstar Temi Fagbenle will lead the team have just been released by CBK Mersin, along with Kristine Anigwe who joins the squad from Italy where she plays with Passalacqua Spedizioni Ragusa.

GB Senior Women’s Roster – EuroBasket Women Qualifiers

(name, position, height, club)
Kristine Anigwe, F, 6’4″, Passalacqua Spedizioni Ragusa (ITA)
Shanice Beckford-Norton, G, 5’8″, London Lions (GBR)
Kirsty Brown, F, 6’3″, Leicester Riders (GBR)
Chantel Charles, F, 5’10”, London Lions (GBR)
Temi Fagbenle, F, 6’4″, Free agent
Georgia Gayle, G, 5’9″, Sheffield Hatters (GBR)
Chantelle Handy, F/C, 6’2″, Caledonia Gladiators (GBR)
Shequila Joseph, F/C, 6’3″, London Lions (GBR)
Kennedy Leonard, G, 5’8″, London Lions (GBR)
Hannah Robb, G, 5’9″, Leicester Riders (GBR)
Eilidh Simpson, G, 5’7″, Free Agent
Azania Stewart, C, 6’5″, London Lions (GBR)

Coaching Staff:
Chema Buceta – Head Coach
Stef Collins – Assistant Coach
Vanessa Ellis – Assistant Coach

Performance Staff:
Mark Lloyd – National Teams Manager / Head of Delegation
Peter Thain – Physiotherapist
Ross Knevett – Sports Therapist
Karen Barclay – Team Doctor

“We have worked very hard over the last few days to prepare for these two games against Portugal and Greece, but we have to take this game-by-game and our first challenge lays ahead against Portugal,” Head Coach Chema Buceta said.

“Everybody has made a big effort and I want to thank all of the players and the staff for what they’ve contributed, and to the clubs for releasing our players a few days early to enable them to have some more time to practice and come together.

“Against Portugal we have to play good defence and understand that they are a team with a lot of experience. They also have some very good young players that have shown a very good level in age group competitions, so it is going to be difficult, but we are ready and we will do our best.”

GB are joined in Group G of qualifying by Portugal, as well as Greece – who GB play on Sunday – and Estonia. The eventual group winners will automatically go through to the final tournament in Israel and Slovenia next summer, and the four best second-placed teams of the 10 qualifying groups will also progress to EuroBasket.

The game will be live and free on FIBA’s YouTube channel.

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