U18 Women in action this week at FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2025
GB kickstart their FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket Division B campaign this week in Lithuania. Led by Head Coach Krumesh Patel, GB have been drawn in Group D alongside Bulgaria, Croatia, Norway and Denmark.
If GB finish within the top three of the tournament, they will earn promotion to Division A of the U18 Women’s EuroBasket, the elite tier of youth basketball. However, GB will no doubt have their sights set on the title after Coach Patel led the team to a respectable sixth-place finish in the previous year’s competition.
Coach Patel also took charge of the Women’s 3x3 team that won all four matches at the Europe Cup Qualifiers this summer, and brings his experience with senior players and the higher-paced 3x3 game to drive a dynamic GB offence.
GB kick off their campaign against Croatia at 1:30 pm (BST) on 4 July. Croatia were relegated from Division A last year, and will prove a tough opener.
They will next see Norway on Sunday, 6 July, at 8:30 am (BST), before rounding out the campaign against Bulgaria on Tuesday, 8 July, at 6:30 pm (BST), and Denmark on Wednesday, 9 July, at 6:30 pm (BST).
FIBA has highlighted GB’s Bo Guttormsdottir Frost as ‘one to look out for’ ahead of this year’s EuroBasket. A long, do-it-all wing, she averaged 15 points per game in the 2024 edition of the competition, making 42.4% of her three-point shots.
Her obvious potential earned Bo selection to the Senior Women’s team for the 2025 EuroBasket Qualifiers, as Head Coach Anna Montañana sought to provide knowledge and experience to the next generation.
Holly Ensoll was selected to the U18 All-Star Five as Endeavour Ipswich won the Final Four competition of the National Basketball League.
At 6’6”, Ensoll dominated the paint, averaging 12 points, 16.5 rebounds, and an incredulous 4.5 blocks to push Ipswich past CoLA Southwark Pride London to win the competition. She is one of three Ipswich players to be selected for the U18 EuroBasket, alongside Maisie Keyes and Kara Bassil.
Athena Thompson, Emma Briggs, and Haley Wright will all join GB in camp from the US, having made the move across the pond to advance their careers. Wright, in particular, has earned invaluable experience playing in the NCAAW for California State University, Long Beach, competing at the very highest level.
Head Coach Patel will be supported by Assistant Coaches Lauren Milligan and Oli Parr.
Loughborough University and Kent Crusaders coach Oli Parr returns to the GB set-up, having acted as the assistant coach of GB’s U18 Women’s side last year. His success in developing young talent will provide important skills for the next generation of GB Women.
Coach Milligan performed the player-coach role for Oaklands Wolves between 2017-22, and has led Barking Abbey School as Head Women’s coach ever since. She was appointed Assistant Coach of the GB Women’s U18 team for 2022, as well as Head Coach of the England U18 team in the same year.
GB began their training camp on 13 June in Berlin, where they played two preparatory fixtures against Germany. On 19 June, the squad returned to Nottingham for an intensive training period, before flying to Vienna on 24 June. From here, they played two practice matches against Slovakia in Piešťany and two final games in Mistelbach against Austria.
They will travel to Vilnius on 2 July ahead of their EuroBasket opener against Croatia on Friday, 4 July.
Click below to watch the livestream of GB's opening match against Croatia.
Players
Holly Ensoll - Endeavour Ipswich Basketball
Maisie Keyes - Endeavour Ipswich Basketball
Haley Wright - California State University, Long Beach
Ayla Habbal - CoLA Southwark Pride London
Emma Briggs - Benet Academy High School
Eva Grace Yebila - CoLA Southwark Pride London
Bo Guttormsdottir-Frost - Oaklands Wolves
Caitlin Ryan - Oaklands Wolves
Athena Thompson - Putnam Science Academy
Irene Oboavwoduo - Manchester Mystics
Tiarna Chambers-Desmond - Nottingham Wildcats
Fleur Gamal - Edinburgh Blaze
Reserves:
Amelia Orungbeja - London Lions
Kara Bassil - Endeavour Ipswich Basketball
Players Invited to Camp:
Monife Abidekun - CoLA Southwark Pride
Brownwyn Louisa How - M14 Hoops
Kamilah Yakubu - Barking Abbey School
Kosi Anyanwu - Nottingham Wildcats
Kitty White - Bay City Basketball 3SSB
Performance Staff:
Head Coach - Krumesh Patel
Assistant Coach - Oli Parr
Assistant Coach - Lauren Milligan
Team Manager - Honor Campbell
Physio - Olivia Ambris
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Maddie Westland
Performance Analyst - Callum Stevens