NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - There looks to be 11 Olympic hopefuls preparing to step out at EuroBasket Women 2015 this week, and that is more than half of the Final Round field.

Having already written last week about the three teams I feel are in with a shot of taking the title in Budapest later this month in the shape of Spain, France and Serbia, I think there are another eight teams who will be looking to realistically score a top five finish.

But it is probably prudent to say from the outset that Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Italy, Great Britain, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Greece and Croatia could find it tough and I don't see them reaching the top five - even if some might make the Second Phase and one might even reach the Quarter-Finals.

I would break down the other eight teams I see competing for a Rio ticket into three categories as follows:

Expects
Turkey - The form of veteran star Nevriye Yilmaz and her decision to postpone retirement is a huge boost. They have big experience in the spine of their team with Isil Alben and Birsel Vardarli Demirmen in the backcourt, Saize Ivegin bringing the glue on the wing and powerhouse Lara Sanders operating with Yilmaz inside. While they do have a new coach in Ekrem Memnun, he is hugely respected and you would not back against him squeezing onto the podium. However, there are a lot of younger players with little track record and the 'golden oldies' could struggle with the gruelling schedule. They also don't have huge firepower and rely on defense, which means low scoring games they could be vulnerable in tight encounters down the tournament stretch.

Belarus - Any team with such a centrepiece as Yelena Leuchanka is always going to have a chance to shine at any major tournament. She is a colossus and re-joined by fellow twin tower Anastasiya Verameyenka, who is shifting back up the gears after returning from maternity leave. Katsiaryna Snystsina is a great veteran in blistering form and she can provide some serious scoring from multiple positions on the court. Throw in the historic move to naturalise a player by utilising the experience of Lindsey Harding and Belarus are a team that will be a nightmare to break down and about as solid as solid ever gets.

Hopes
Czech Republic - In years gone by, the Czech team would have featured in the above category. However the retirement of Eva Viteckova has been compounded by the experienced Petra Kulichova skipping the summer and her absence under the hoop will be a big issue. A big responsibility is on Katerina Elhotova to be productive in the backcourt and for Jana Vesela and Ilona Burgrova to fight it out in the paint. Bringing back Veronika Bortelova who will turn 37-years-old during the competition underlines the lack of top class playmaking talent who should have succeeded her after 2013. However, Czech basketball has been buoyed by ZVVZ USK Prague winning EuroLeague Women and with Alena Hanusova set for a breakout tournament, perhaps suggestions of their demise could be premature.

Russia - Trying to calculate where Russia might finish is the trickiest task of all. After speaking to Evgenia Belyakova recently, even she had no clue as to where Russia might be aiming. That is because they have some excellent players as their spine, but more youngsters than ever before. Indeed almost half of their roster are Final Round rookies. Belyakova will bring the noise from the three-point line, the naturalised Epiphanny Prince is a guard who can create and score with the very best, Elena Kirillova was the MVP in 2011 and Irina Osipova is about to embark on her sixth outing in the tournament. The unknowns are how the phenomenal teenager Maria Vadeeva will perform when they lights go on and the same can be said for other first-timers. But on talent alone, Russia should be up there.

Outside shot
Montenegro - There will be few better or experienced frontcourts in the competition and in Jelena Dubljevic, Montenegro have a stellar player who has been one of the best performers in Europe during recent years. She makes her team tick and is complimented by the towering Iva Perovanovic who is tough to stop when she plays aggressively. With Milka Bjelica and Milica Jovanovic well versed in Final Round action and the naturalised Angelica Robinson also now on board, there is little to worry about under the basket. The backcourt is less certain with veteran warrior Jelena Skerovic pulling the strings and Snezana Aleksic alongside her - although little else in terms of proven performers. Their fate could lie in what impact newcomers Jovana Pasic and Jelena Vucetic can make coming off the bench.

Sweden - The loss of both Amanda Zahui and Farhiya Abdi who have opted for the WNBA over trying to take Sweden to the Olympics is a tough one to take for Lars Johansson and his team. With them on board, you sensed that another Quarter-Final might be slated as wholly realistic and therefore a top five finish as a genuine hope, rather than an outside shot. But the frontcourt will be stretched to its limits and any foul trouble or injuries will lay it bare. There is a huge toll to be carried by Louice Halvarsson and Anna Barthold. At least Frida and Elin Eldebrink will be on hand to run their usual classy double-act in the guard spots and Ashley Key is always liable to light it up from the wing.

Latvia - With Anete Jekabsone and Gunta Basko-Melnbarde seeing through a U-turn over their retirement, Latvia have a decent outside shot of making the top eight. The pair add veteran quality and in Jekabsone, someone who will get it done in a big way at both ends of the court, but particularly offensively. With such a top level shooter and clutch player in their ranks, Latvia can expect an exciting roller-coaster through the tournament and could make a splash. However the true test will be how Anete Steinberga and Aija Putnina carry them in the post - an area where so many players have left in recent years.

Lithuania - While missing a number of players who would have played prominent roles such as Egle Sulciute, Giedre Paugaite and Greta Sniokaite, Lithuania have been boosted by the return of the irrepressible Sandra Linkeviciene and added further experience in Vita Kuktiene. They have a great shooter in Kamile Nacickaite who can go off on any given night for 20-plus points, while Gintare Petronyte is a kingpin in the paint and will lead in scoring and on the glass. The big issue is just how potentially overly reliant Lithuania are on Petronyte and in such a long tournament, whether they can truly expect her to put the team on her shoulders more than once or twice if needed.

It certainly promises to be a wonderful fight for the top five and I can't wait to see it.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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