GB Women squad for EuroBasket qualifier vs Belarus named

GB head coach Chema Buceta has named his 12-woman roster for the EuroBasket Women qualifier v Belarus on Thursday, 4 February.

The squad, which currently top its EuroBasket 2021 qualifying group, has three changes from the 12 that featured in November’s window in Istanbul.

Karlie Samuelson and Chantel Charles return having missed out on the last window through injury and illness respectively.

Shequila Joseph joins up with the team for the first time. The 25-year-old forward currently plays domestically with Laboratorios Ynsadiet Leganes in Spain.

The trio are joined by the nine others who retain their places from November’s 77-49 victory over Poland. Temi Fagbenle and Cheridene Green both join the camp after starting their EuroCup campaigns domestically last week.

Kristine Anigwe is named in the squad for a third time, whilst trio Hannah Robb, Evelyn Adebayo and Renee Busch all feature for the second consecutive window.

Veterans return

Chantelle Handy is back for cap 134 alongside regulars Eilidh Simpson and Janice Monakana who both suit up for GB once again.

Speaking ahead of the bubble in Latvia, Buceta believes his squad has the ability to build on the superb defensive  performance last time out:

“Belarus is a very good team, but we can beat them if we play with determination and wisdom. We need to win this game to qualify for Eurobasket, and to do so, we have to trust our strengths as a team that helped us to beat top teams in the past.

We will need to play a very good team defense, and I believe that the players selected are the ones who can do this at the high level that this game will require. This season is very odd, with many interruptions and lack of continuity for most of our players, but I believe that despite that our team will be ready for this big challenge."

GB Women roster: February 2021

Evelyn Adebayo – Pacisa Alcobendas (Spain) 

Kristine Anigwe – ÇBK Mersin Yenişehir Belediyesi (Turkey) 

Renee Busch – Sevenoaks Suns 

Chantel Charles – BA London Lions

Temi Fagbenle – Umana Reyer Venezia (Italy) 

Cheridene Green – Gorzow (Poland) 

Chantelle Handy – Casademont Zaragoza (Spain) 

Shequila Joseph – Laboratorios Ynsadiet Leganes (Spain)

Janice Monakana – Sevenoaks Suns 

Hannah Robb – Leicester Riders 

Karlie Samuelson – Perfumerias Avenida (Spain)

Eilidh Simpson – SV Halle (Germany)