GB Senior Women Rout Albania as Buceta Inks First Win

It was a case of third time lucky for Great Britain Senior Women as they racked up a first success of their FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifying campaign after strolling to a 122-36 victory against Albania.

In the first competitive game to be played at the terrific new National Basketball Performance Centre in Belle Vue Sports Village, a further fresh page was turned with Mollie Campbell being handed a senior debut.

There was also a maiden success at the helm for Head Coach Jose Maria Buceta, as the hosts wowed the crowd in Manchester with a blistering start against the Group C underdogs.

Buceta said after the game:

“It is never easy to play in games like this when the other team is not so strong, but we respected them which is always important.

“We saw many of the things that we have been practicing on the court, but importantly we have won the game and it is a good feeling to be winning again and especially when you have been doing things well.

“The team kept their concentration for most of the time despite the score, which is not very easy and we did our job.

“We need many players to score if we want to be a good team – all the players have to have possibilities to score.

“We also have the target to have Chantelle Handy back for the Montenegro game which will give us further strength.”

Handed a rare starting role, Ella Clark made the most of the opportunity with seven early points as GB blasted their way into a 22-4 advantage – having initially inked the first 12 points of the contest without reply.

The dominance of the home side continued and leading 35-9 at the end of the opening quarter, it was the same story in the second quarter as GB continued to run riot. One of the most notable moments came when Leicester Riders’ forward Campbell took her first footsteps on the hardwood as a senior player.

While the game was effectively done and dusted by the time the players hit the locker room at the interval with a 63-22 lead, there was still much to enthuse over for the appreciative and noisy home crowd, who continued to give great vocal backing when the action resumed.

Not least when Campbell scored her first senior basket – one which also meant that every GB player registered a basket during the victory in what was very much a rounded team-effort.

Jo Leedham top scored with 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Ella Clark put up a superb 15 point and 17 rebound double-double. The full stats from the game are available HERE.

GB move to 1-2 in Group C ahead of Wednesday’s crunch clash with Montenegro. In the other Group C game on Saturday night, Italy won a dramatic contest 57-56 in Schio against GB’s next opponents.