Eldebrink ready for fresh start with Sweden

ISTANBUL (FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 Qualifiers) – Yakin Dogu Universitesi guard Elin Eldebrink is looking for Sweden to move on and realize their potential when they embark on the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2019 Qualifiers.

Missing out on the Final Round at the previous edition of the tournament earlier this year was painful, but Eldebrink is adamant that Sweden are back on the verge of potentially something special.

She stated: "I'm super excited and we all feel like this is going to be a fresh start for us.

"We have high goals again and if everybody is healthy and ready to play, we have a really good roster, so we are all looking towards a bright future and I can't wait for next month to come.

"Following the last campaign, we said if we are going to contribute and be really great, everyone needs to be a part of it. Somebody can't just say they do not want to come, we must commit to it. We talked about this and everyone said if we are all present, we can be really good."

Eldebrink will be joined by an array of other EuroLeague Women performers and not least, Amanda Zahui of ZVVZ USK Prague and Farhiya Abdi of Perfumerias Avenida.

There is also a hope that some new talent and the younger players can add depth to a core that also includes the likes of veteran forward Anna Barthold and Eldebrink's sibling, Frida - with Italy looking like the main barrier to successful qualification.

She commented: "I really hope some of the young girls can come up and take some of the responsibility, because that can give those of us who have been here for longer, a little relief and we can just play without pressure.

"We have a lot of players who can take scoring responsibilities, we are going to have a threat on all positions. I am sure everyone is going to step up on every position.

"Italy had a great campaign this summer and they are a really strong team, with a WNBA champion [in Cecilia Zandalasini].

"The other teams are good [in FYR of Macedonia and Croatia] but for sure Italy is going to be the biggest challenge in our group.

"But I think, if we have everybody playing, we will be competitive, and it will be a really exciting game to watch. They are already selling a lot of tickets, so I am excited for it."

Before Eldebrink can give national team duties her full focus, she is looking to continue the enjoyment of a return to EuroLeague Women and maintaining the stunning momentum of tournament rookies, Yakin Dogu Universitesi who won domestic silverware and the EuroCup Women title last season.

"It is something you always aim for – to play in the best league in Europe. It's always somewhere you want to come back to," confirmed Eldebrink.

"We had a great group of people [at Yakin Dogu Universitesi last season] and everyone wanted to work hard – it was a good group of players who came together to reach the same goal.

"We won everything we competed in. It was absolutely my best season ever. There are not a lot of people who get to experience winning EuroCup Women.

"Especially as when I was playing in France [with ESBVA-LM], I lost in a Semi-Final and it was the next year they made the Final," concluded the 29-year-old.

FIBA