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G.B. WOMEN MAKE THE "A" GRADE |
27/09/07
The Great Britain women’s basketball team capped off a triumphant summer for British basketball last night by securing promotion with a 60-58 win over the Netherlands.
The aggregate 128-90 win ensures that the women, like their male counterparts, can now compete in the qualifying stages for the 2009 European Championships, boosting their hopes of taking a spot at the 2012 Olympics.
And fittingly, in her final international game, veteran centre and former WNBA player Andrea Congreaves led Britain home with 14 points – a total matched by Megan Moody, who has never failed to put double points on the board for GB.
“Our official target was to get the men and women into the mix but it is beyond our wildest dreams that they have both achieved promotion,” said Alistair Gray, the Chairman of British Performance Basketball.
“It is the best possible platform from which to launch ourselves for the Olympic Games, to have both teams come through and into the top level of basketball. We can now aim for a top position within Europe.”
The Chief Executive of UK Sport, John Steele, was also full of praise: “Both the men's and women's teams, and all their support staff, should be extremely proud of themselves as this summer has without a doubt been a triumph for British basketball.
"Not only have both teams remained undefeated and gained promotion, which has now put them on the radar of Europe's elite, but they have also helped to raise the profile of the sport and generate huge excitement.
"London 2012 is not just about preparing our athletes and ensuring they fulfill their potential. It is also about inspiring the stars of the future, these achievements and the fact that stars like Luol Deng have pledged their commitment to the programme makes it a lot easier to do.”
The win ended a remarkable year for the two British senior sides, who won all 12 competitive games played in European competition – a record which could make them genuine contenders for team of the year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
“They have certainly given themselves a good platform to do so but we have to realise we are coming from the second division and haven’t won a championship, yet,” added Gray.
“But certainly the level of what has been done is great. I think we are without a doubt the basketball team of the year.”