Share the dream
Four years ago Melita, Nicolette, Siobhan, Stefanie, Rachael, Georgia, Hannah, Eilidh, Mollie, Chantelle, Azania and Dominique, led by head coach Jose 'Chema' Buceta, wrote their names in annals of English basketball history by winning silver for Team England at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Qualifying third from Pool A, which involved hosts Australia, Canada and Mozambique, Team England then reeled off victories against Jamaica and Canada to book a spot in the gold medal match.
Serendipitous semi-final against Canada
England’s opening group game against Canada didn’t exactly go to plan.
Ranked fifth in the world at the time, the North Americans did a number on Team England, beating them 80-54.
A victory against Mozambique restored England’s confidence and progressed them from the group and into a quarter-final against Jamaica, who they beat by 22 points to set up a serendipitous return meeting with Canada in the semi-final.
Winning that game would not only put them through to the showpiece final against Australia, who were having a dominant tournament as gold medal favourites on home soil, but would also guarantee them silver.
With players locked into a key defensive performance and pulling for each other they shocked Canada with a thrilling 65-53 victory, sending the team into raptures.
Unfortunately, the Aussies proved a step too far for England, who overcame them 99-55, but their achievement could, and would not be diminished.
Speaking to BBC Sport at the time, England guard Rachael Vanderwal said that England’s silver medal proved that they could play with the best in the world – the core of that team went into a really successful run for GB in FIBA’s EuroBasket competition, finishing fourth, and making the qualifying tournament for the Olympics.
Fifth place finish for England men
On the men's side of the tournament, England started their campaign disappointingly, losing to home nation rival Scotland, 78-65, in Pool B.
Pride was restored with victories against India and Cameroon to grab second place in the pool and into the knockout stages.
Pitted against Canada, the North Americans eventually came out on top, 97-79, as England men finished fifth in the tournament overall.
