Czech Republic, Spain trim squads ahead of EuroBasket Women
PRAGUE (EuroBasket Women 2015) - The Czech Republic and defending champions Spain have trimmed their squads again with the start of EuroBasket Women 2015 tipping off in just nine days.
PRAGUE (EuroBasket Women 2015) - The Czech Republic and defending champions Spain have trimmed their squads again with the EuroBasket Women 2015 tipping off in just nine days.
Czech coach Lubor Blazek has decided not to hand a tournament debut to Petra Zaplatova, a 23-year-old shooting guard who played in numerous tournaments for her country at youth level, including the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women.
Spain, meanwhile, have cut a member of their EuroBasket Women 2013-title winning side, Queralt Casas.
Blazek made his decision to let Zaplatova go following his team's 62-55 friendly triumph over Turkey.
The Czechs finished sixth at EuroBasket Women 2013 and are also looking to bounce back from last year's FIBA Women's World Championship disappointment.
The Czechs lost to Canada, 91-71, in the Qualifications for Quarter-Finals stage of the tournament and crashed out of the competition.
Blazek now has just one more cut to make to have his final squad for the EuroBasket Women, where the Czechs will take on Montenegro, Ukraine, France and tournament co-hosts Romania in Group A.
Czech Republic preliminary squad for EuroBasket Women 2015: Katerina Bartonova, Veronika Bortelova, Ilona Burgrova, Katerina Elhotova, Alena Hanusova, Romana Hejdova, Katerina Hindrakova, Tereza Peckova, Klara Pochobradska, Michaela Stejskalova, Kamila Stepanova, Jana Vesela, Tereza Vyoralova.
Spain coach Lucas Mondelo, meanwhile, has such a deep and talented roster that he has let go one of the country's impressive talents in Casas, a shooting guard who helped the country finish runners-up at the 2011 FIBA U19 Women's World Championship.
Mondelo delivered the hard news after Spain's sweep of Great Britain, Poland and Canada at the Logrono Tournament in La Rioja.
Tras conquistar el torneo de Logroño,la #SelFEM piensa en triunfar en Huelva el fin de semana http://t.co/j5Fwj7ZGDL pic.twitter.com/SP9UTrQ9Bm
— FEB (@baloncestofeb) June 1, 2015
Astou Ndour has played well for Spain in the build-up to the 20-team event in Hungary and Romania from 11-28 June and is likely to play as the country's naturalized player if EuroBasket Women 2013 MVP Sancho Lyttle misses out.
Spain preliminary squad for EuroBasket Women 2015: Anna Cruz, Silvia Dominguez, Laura Gil, Laura Herrera, Sancho Lyttle, Nuria Martinez, Astou Ndour, Laura Nicholls, Laia Palau, Lucila Pascua, Leonor Rodriguez, Leticia Romero, Alba Torrens, Marta Xargay.
Go to eurobasketwomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.
FIBA