VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's Eurovision) - The idea that the national team is the engine of basketball in a country we've been hearing a lot about of late?

It's no joke.

The big, much-needed change in the Competition System that will come for men's basketball in 2017 is going to be huge.

As a reminder, there will be several windows during the year when players will join up with their national teams to play qualifying games for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2021 FIBA Continental Cups.

The proof that it's going to be successful is already in the pudding.

On Saturday, the EuroBasket Women 2017 qualifications got underway.

The fans turned out to watch.

At Belgrade's famous Pionir Arena, 6,500 spectators roared as EuroBasket Women champions Serbia rolled to a 100-57 triumph over Germany.

Serbia captured their title on 28 June so Saturday was an opportunity for tournament MVP Ana Dabovic, All-Star Five Selection Sonja Petrovic and the rest of the Serbians to do a victory lap in front of their own supporters.

When I look back to the EuroBasket Women Final in Budapest, I remember the players running across the court to celebrate their triumph with the fans that had travelled from Serbia.

Isn't it great they have the opportunity to play in front of a Serbia crowd back home?

"I am very grateful to you for coming in such large numbers," Serbia coach Marina Maljkovic said.

"This is an historic event for women's basketball, the number of spectators..."

In Ekaterinburg, Russia, home to EuroLeague Women powerhouses UMMC, 4,000 spectators watched as 17-year-old Marina Vadeeva and Co blew out Bulgaria, 72-39.

The way Vadeeva, one of the top young talents in international basketball, played at this summer's EuroBasket Women for Russia, it's not surprising so many people wanted to see her in action in a national team shirt.

In Cluj, 5,000 fans watched their Romania team hold on for dear life in the fourth quarter and beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, 67-65.

In gyms all over Europe, supporters turned out in big numbers to cheer for their sides.

The national team is the engine of basketball in countries?

You bet it is.

There were 3,800 fans in Bourges to see France win over Estonia 69-41, 3,000 in Halkida to see Greece beat visiting Switzerland, 83-46.

In Sweden, 2,078 turned out to watch Amanda Zahui, the second overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft by Tulsa, take on Spain.

The Spaniards won that game, 75-52.

A capacity crowd of 1,000 watched the Netherlands beat Croatia, 76-67, in Amsterdam's Sporthallen Zuid.

Opening day of qualifying wasn't just about spectator numbers.

There were compelling stories.

Latvia rolled back the years and edged Baltic rivals Lithuania, 65-62.

Three of their stars from the team that reached the 2008 Olympics, Anete Jekabsone Zogota, Gunta Basko-Melnbarde and Zane Teilane, led the way.

The trio combined for 47 points.

Saturday was about comebacks, like in Poland and the Netherlands.

Can you believe what the Poles were able to do in Walbrzych?

They outscored Belarus 19-1 in the last quarter for a 65-56 win.

It looks like the Belarus national team that is going to be fighting for a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games at the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament has got some work to do.

Justyna Zurowska-Cegielska had the game of her life for Poland.

She ignited the game-winning run in the fourth quarter with seven unanswered points.

The Netherlands, whose men's team played at the EuroBasket this summer in Croatia, got a jolt of excitement from the women as they overcame a 16-point deficit to stun Croatia.

Zera Butter's seven unanswered points midway through the fourth quarter turned a 56-52 deficit into a 59-56 Dutch lead and they pulled away for victory.

Here's a word of advice for the French, who travel to the Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam to face the Dutch on Wednesday.

You better guard Butter.

The 23-year-old shooting guard nailed four of her seven shots from the arc.

If Saturday was about seeing long-time greats like Latvia's Jekabsone Zogota, Basko-Melnbarde and Teilane, it was also about seeing a new generation of stars like Vadeeva, Butter and Turkey's Olcay Cakir.

The 22-year-old Cakir showed glimpses of her talent at the EuroBasket Women, helping Turkey clinch fifth place to claim a spot in the WOQT.

Olcay Cakir (TUR) is one of Turkey's emerging talents

In Turkey's 72-53 triumph over Israel, the exciting 1.82m point guard poured in 17 points on a perfect shooting night.

Cakir connected on all six of her shots, including five from long range.

The best part of Saturday is that it's only the beginning.

More games are coming up this week as teams take aim at spots at the 2017 EuroBasket Women.

Teams that lost have a chance to bounce back.

Players that jumped into the limelight have a chance to do so again.

And most important of all, the fans in countries all over the old continent get a chance to see their national teams.

There are breaks in the domestic calendar that allow for these games to take place. 

This sure seems like a good idea to me.

Jeff Taylor

FIBA

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