NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - With four teams pitched into Group B in Rio, it looks slightly more predictable and yet still full of unknowns with two teams still to be confirmed from the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT).

After examining Group A of the Rio 2016 Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in my previous column, it's now an analysis on Group B.

USA
When you're gunning for a sixth consecutive Olympic title and an eighth in total, it doesn't leave much to the imagination. The USA's dominance is everybody else's problem - not theirs.

Rio looks set to be a fitting stage for Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings to bow out on. They are some of the greatest right there, while I am incredibly excited that it looks as if WNBA MVP Elene Delle Donne will make a belated major tournament debut.

It's staggering the talent which Geno Auriemma has to work with and I am looking forward to watching Maya Moore and Brittney Griner maybe throwing one down - just like she did for the top play at the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship.

The real eye-opener will be looking at who actually doesn't make it onto the plane!

Winning a game by only single digits would be a surprise, let alone the possibility of actually losing a game or the seismic-scale chock of not winning the title. The clashes against Canada and Serbia are tricky from the standpoint of both opponents being confident, having nothing to lose and also having firepower. But

Canada
Regular readers of my column will know that I am unashamedly a massive fan of what Canada have done in recent years with their programme and they're on an upward trajectory after last summer when they took gold at the Pan-American Games and claimed the title in front of their fans at the FIBA Americas Women’s Championship.

Lisa Thomaidis has done a really great job and while not quite there at the 2014 FIBA Women’s World Championship, they are now. Consequently, nothing less than the Semi-Finals will do for me.

Canada are better than a whole lot of teams - including many of those pushing to qualify from the WOQT. They are disciplined, can be relentless and in Kia Nurse, they have a special emerging player who can do great things in the backcourt. I also really like Miah-Marie Langlois who can shoot the three and Kim Gaucher who is such a role-model.

They have a mobile and rock solid frontcourt rotation which is deep. Miranda Ayim is still one of the most underrated players around and deserves more respect, Natalie Achonwa is a class-act, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe has made people sit up and take notice, while Tamara Tatham and the Plouffe sisters will never let the team down. It's just a pity Lizanne Murphy sustained her ACL injury as she brings a lot to the table.

I expect Canada against Serbia will be the game to watch in Group B and both teams will be eager to ink that one as it is likely to be a difference maker.

Serbia
The first-time European champions following their title run at EuroBasket Women 2015 are the most entertaining team to watch in the women's game - bar none. They have big personalities and always have the emphasis on having fun.

They could be absolutely anything on debut. They play the game on the edge and can implode at any minute - or deliver a famous result. It's a thrilling roller-coaster ride and I had the honour of following them and watching every single game on the way to their title last year.

Head coach Marina Maljkovic is understated and probably needs to be with so much energy, excitement and noise on her roster. The big tick in the box was bringing a hard working naturalised player into the mix in Danielle Page which really did work a treat.

The team will be led by sister act Ana and Milica Dabovic, the former was EuroBasket Women 2015 MVP - but who has not been playing regular elite club basketball in recent months - and the latter who has hinted at possibly retiring after Rio. Both need to perform for Serbia to be successful - that's for sure.

Phoenix Mercury bound Sonja Petrovic is one of the best players in the world and has a good case for being the best European player in the women's game. I could watch her from dusk until dawn, while Jelena Milovanovic is always liable to post some seriously big numbers.

But what Serbia are really about is there non-headline acts. I absolutely love shooter Nevena Jovanovic, playmaker Tamara Radocaj and Danila Butulija. These role players provide the glue and get on with business without the razzmatazz of some of their team-mates.

They can make a run deep into this tournament if they get it right. My only concern remains their lack of depth in the post.

Senegal
African basketball needs the AfroBasket Women 2015 winners to be competitive. That is fundamentally the main aim - along, of course, with winning a game for the first time. However, you sense that they have been dealt a difficult hand and will stand little chance against any of the opponents they already know. Had they faced Japan or Brazil in Group A, you might have held more hope of an upset.

I am no expert by any means on African basketball and leave that crown to my esteemed FIBA colleague Julio Chitunda, but I am looking forward to seeing a number of Senegal players do the business on the big stage.

Mame Marie Sy has a link to coach Maljkovic from playing in Lyon which is very interesting and she has real quality because of the time spent in the French women's league. Aya Traore will also be ready to showcase her talent having scooped the MVP accolade in Cameroon last year.

Senegal will be transfixed on which two teams they are handed by way of what unfolds in Nantes.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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