BLR – Veterans return as Belarus women prepare for another run at gold

MINSK (EuroBasket Women 2011) - Belarus will again rely on the veterans who have been so influential in their national team program for the past several years when they attempt to qualify for next year’s Olympics.
 
Yelena Leuchanka, Natalia Marchanka and a host of other familiar faces will be in Anatoli Buyalski’s squad when Belarus play in EuroBasket Women Group B against Great Britain, the Czech Republic and Israel next month in Poland.
 
Belarus almost played for last year’s world title in the Czech Republic but lost in overtime to the host nation, the Czechs, before falling to Spain in the bronze-medal game.
 
Among those travelling to Poland for the Final Round will be Leuchanka, who made the All-Star Five last summer in Karlovy Vary, playmaker Marchanka, power forward Anastasiya Verameyenka, sharpshooter Tatyana Troina, 24-year-old sharpshooter Yuliya Dureika, captain Natalia Trafimava and reserve center Marina Kress.
 
While Belarus are known for the veterans Leuchanka, Marchanka, Verameyenka, Troina and Trafimava, Dureika emerged as a key player last summer, particularly in the Quarter-Final upset of Russia when the 24-year-old erupted for her tournament-high 15 points.

Belarus will first gather on May 8 at their Stayki sporting base near Minsk in and remain there until May 22, with the focus on their physical condition.
 
Buyalski's team will meet Spain, France and Lithuania in preparation games.
 
Preliminary squad: Yelena Leuchanka, Natalia Marchanka, Anastasiya Verameyenka, Tatyana Troina, Yuliya Dureika, Natalia Trafimava, Natallia Anufryienka, Sviatlana Valko, Tatsiana Likhtarovich, Viktoryia Hasper, Darya Lipinskaya, Maryna Ivashchanka, Tatsiana Dashkevich, Maryia Filonchyk, Katsiaryna Snytsina, Elena Novikova, Aliaksandra Tarasava and Marina Kress. Reserves: Tatsiana Khatsko, Janina Nikitina and Volha Padabed.
 
FIBA