GB Senior Women advance to second round of EuroBasket qualifiers
Great Britain Senior Women advanced to the second round of the EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers with a comfortable 77–58 win over Switzerland in Switzerland on Wednesday.
Kristina Anigwe led GB with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Shanice Beckford-Norton had 17 points and Savannah Wilkinson added 16, as GB jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
GB set the tone early, storming out to a 23–12 lead in the first quarter. Kristine Anigwe made an immediate impact, asserting herself in the paint from the opening tip. The former WNBA first-round draft pick scored eight of Great Britain’s first ten points, establishing her dominance inside.
Shanice Beckford-Norton also played a key role in the early stages, slicing through the Swiss defence and attacking the rim with purpose. The contest briefly became physical midway through the first quarter, with Beckford-Norton being pushed as tensions rose.
Switzerland showed resilience at the start of the second quarter, putting together a 6–0 run to cut the deficit to seven following Savannah Wilkinson’s early mid-range jumper. However, Anigwe continued to prove difficult to contain in the paint, quickly restoring Great Britain’s double-digit advantage.
Beckford-Norton and Cheridene Green helped close out the half strongly, both causing problems for the Swiss defence. Their efforts helped Great Britain carry a commanding 14-point lead into halftime.
After the break, the trio of Green, Beckford-Norton and Anigwe continued to trouble Switzerland with their physical presence and scoring ability. Any hopes of a Swiss comeback were effectively ended in the fourth quarter when London-born forward Savannah Wilkinson scored eight points in just over three minutes to stretch the lead further.
Great Britain connected on only two three-pointers throughout the contest, but their dominance inside proved decisive. They controlled the glass throughout, outrebounding Switzerland 48–23, including an impressive 17 offensive rebounds.
Anigwe led the rebounding effort with 13 boards, while Wilkinson and Henderson added eight each.
Despite the convincing victory, turnovers remain an area for improvement. Great Britain committed 19 in the contest, with Switzerland recording 13 steals.
With qualification for the next round secured, Great Britain will now turn their attention to Saturday’s matchup against current group leaders Austria. G
GB narrowly fell to Austria 85–81 when the sides last met in November, with the contest providing a chance for revenge.
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