Spain begins the Women’s Eurobasket challenge against Latvia
MADRID, 14 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s basketball team begins this Thursday (8:00 p.m. / Teledeporte) its journey in the Eurobasket, which is hosted by Israel and Slovenia until June 25, with an always complex debut in a major tournament against Latvia.
After a summer without competing due to their absence in the last World Cup, Spain is presenting its new project under the leadership of Miguel Méndez in search of fighting again for some medals that were elusive in 2021, both in the Eurobasket and in the Olympic Games. oo. Tokyo, with both painful eliminations in the quarterfinals.
Now, the sensations are good before facing a debut that always involves nerves and where it is sometimes difficult to get into the rhythm, but that it is necessary to move forward to take the first step towards the first place in Group A that it also shares with Montenegro and Greece and which gives direct access to the quarterfinals without having to go through an awkward crossing.
The four-time continental champion arrives in Tel Aviv, where she will play the first phase, after conceding last week against Hungary, her only defeat in the 16 games she has been led by the Galician coach, although only six of them, those in the qualifying phase, Officials against Hungary, Romania and Iceland.
In their preparation, which began at the end of May, they remained undefeated with victories against Italy (55-44), China (76-60), Turkey (76-37), Belgium (72-54), which is considered one of the great favorites for Méndez, and Hungary (63-65). She conceded the defeat in the second friendly against the Hungarians (77-65) last Saturday, a setback that should serve to avoid relaxation for a tournament that begins against Latvia.
The Latvian team, which has the worst world ranking (25) in the group, already made things very difficult in the 2019 Eurobasket group stage, with a 56-59 final victory after a bad quarterfinal, and arrives with good feelings after a preparation of five victories in six games, losing only to Turkey.
In the ranks of the Baltic team there are familiar faces from LF Endesa, such as Paula Strautmane (Cadi La Seu) or Aleksa Gulbe (Perfumerías Avenida), this being one of the key players along with Anette Steinberga.
DATASHEET.
–EQUIPMENT.
LATVIA: Strautmane, Wichmane, Pilabere, Jurjane, Steinberga, Pulvere, Jakobson, Jasa, Gulbe, Miscenko, Laksa y Vilka.
SPAIN: Silvia Domínguez, Maite Cazorla, Cristina Ouviña, Leonor Rodríguez, Queralt Casas, Laura Quevedo, María Conde, Alba Torrens, Paula Ginzo, Laura Gil, Raquel Carrera and Lola Pendande.
–PAVILLION: Shlomo Group Tel Aviv Arena.
–TIME: 8:00 p.m./Teledeporte.