Preview: GB v Belarus

Details

GB v Belarus

EuroBasket Women 2021 Qualifier

Thursday 4th February, 11:30 (GMT) tip

Arena Riga, Latvia

INTRO

GB play Belarus tomorrow morning in our final group game of the 2021 EuroBasket Women qualifying campaign. We currently sit top of Group F with a record of 2:1, meaning a win guarantees our ticket to the summer’s tournament in Strasbourg/Valencia! Depending on results elsewhere, we could still secure qualification even in the event of a loss.

The opposition: BELARUS

Belarus currently sit bottom of Group F after today’s 56-68 defeat to Poland. The game was their second of four qualifiers, having beaten us in the first qualifier back in November 2019. Following tomorrow’s game, the team will play Poland for a second time on Saturday.

The Belarus roster from today’s game features two changes from the side we met in the last game, with Yuliya Vasilevich and Hanna Brych replacing Aliaksandra Tarasava and Maryna Ivashchanka respectively. Maryia Papova – who picked up 24 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds in our last meeting – was the team’s top scorer again this afternoon with 13 points and 5 rebounds.

TEAM NEWS

GB’s roster for the game will be the same 12 that originally travelled to Riga last weekend: Evelyn Adebayo, Kristine Anigwe, Renee Busch, Chantel Charles, Temi Fagbenle, Cheridene Green, Chantelle Handy, Shequila Joseph, Janice Monakana, Hannah Robb, Karlie Samuelson and Eilidh Simpson.

Speaking ahead of the game, Simpson acknowledged the threat posed by the Belarus team:

“It will be a tough game against Belarus they’re a great team with a lot of experience. They’re a strong offensive team and we need to disrupt them with pressure and physicality. We will play hard, share the ball and play the GB way.”

How to watch

Tomorrow’s game is available to watch free in the UK via YouTube, with written updates available via the LiveStats and highlgihts shared via GB’s social.