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Preview: Luxembourg v GB

Conner Washington in action on Saturday

Details

Luxembourg v GB

FIBA EuroBasket 2021 Pre-Qualifier

Wednesday 21st August, 6pm

 Centre National Sportif & Culturel d’Coque

Intro

GB are aiming to complete the EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers unbeaten as they travel to Luxembourg for the fourth and final game.

Having defeated Kosovo in Manchester on Saturday night, GB are through to the Qualifiers regardless of the result.

The opposition: LUXEMBOURG

Luxembourg join the third round of the FIBA EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers after a difficult second round campaign which saw them win only one game. Luxembourg were paired with Cyprus and Portugal in Group C, where they only managed to defeat Cyprus on one occasion 89-76.

Their main performers include 6’6 power forward Alex Laurent who’s currently averaging 14 points per game in the competition to lead his side in scoring. Laurent plays his club basketball for Netherlands side Den Helder Suns. He is joined at the other forward position by 6’7 Oliver Vujakovic, averaging 12 points and 7.8 rebounds per game on 46.5% shooting. Vujakovic played for TS Innsbruck-Sparkasse in Austria last season.

In addition, the pair are joined by 6’3 point guard Bob Melcher from Luxembourg side BBC Amicale Steinel. Melcher is averaging 12.8 points and six rebounds per game to go along with five assists so far in the FIBA EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers.

Luxembourg are placed behind Kosovo as the 96th best team in the FIBA World rankings. It has been over 60 years since the country last qualified for a EuroBasket competition, after last competing at the EuroBasket in 1951 in Paris and EuroBasket 1955 in Budapest where they finished in 15th place.

TEAM NEWS

Head Coach Nate Reinking has named just one change for the final game as Jacob Round makes his first appearance in GB Senior Men’s Final 12, replacing Gabe Olaseni.

Final 12: Ashley Hamilton, Conner Washington, Teddy Okereafor, Luke Nelson, Mo Soluade, Gareth Murray, Eric Boateng, Robert Gilchrist, Kyle Johnson, Jacob Round Myles Hesson & Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye.

How to watch

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