CZE - Blažek names squad for World Championship

PRAGUE (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Lubor Blažek, the head coach of the Czech Republic’s national team, has kept his promise by naming his squad for the FIBA 2010 World Championship for Women less than a week after the host nation’s domestic league ended.

Blažek named 18 players instead of the previously announced 16 but gave good reason for the decision.

“It is not such a big change. In a way, we have nominated 16 players, plus two who will be getting ready in a somewhat special regime,” he said.

The special regime he mentions applies to Jana Veselá and Michaela Ferančíková (Pavlíčková).

Veselá has had a great season with Spanish side Ros Casares, reaching the Euroleague final and she now has a shot at playing in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm. However, that means she will not be available for most of the Czech team’s preparations ahead of the tournament, which will take place in Ostrava, Brno and Karlovy Vary between late September and early October.

“Jana is an excellent player. However, anything can happen. It is quite possible that she will join the team as late as the start of September,” Blažek warned. “That is why we have players who can play her position.”

The situation is different for Michaela Ferančíková. A former outstanding and established national team player, she is making her return to top flight basketball after giving birth to her first child and spending time with her family.

“Míša has been training at full speed and she is doing great. She is very enthusiastic out there,” said assistant coach Ivan Beneš, who has been overseeing an individual training schedule for the new mother.

The remaining names on the squad come as no surprise, except possibly for the omission of centre Petra Manakova, who came off a strong season with Saarlouis Royals in Germany. She was a member of the national team at last year's EuroBasket in Latvia. 

“I am very glad that almost all of the players I have selected have accepted the invitation,” said Blažek. “No one has rejected being a part of the national team and that is a very positive sign. All the players have said it is a huge honour to represent the country and hearing that has only made me happier.”

And while the squad was only named at the end of April, the players have all known for quite some time.

“I spoke to them (the players) and their club coaches to give them enough time to get mentally ready. I see this year’s championship as the peak of the career for an entire generation of players,” Blažek added.

And he intends on keeping all the players on the squad for as much of the training camp as possible before he makes his decision as to who stays and who goes.

“We can only send 12 players for the actual championship. The shortlist (of 12 players) will be available in September, right before the start of the championship,” he added.

All 18 players are due to meet on Monday 17th May in Lázně Bělohrad. The team will travel to Tunisia to recover from the long basketball season before going through their first intense training camp in Špindlerův Mlýn in early June. This is where Blažek hopes to find the best candidate for the team’s captaincy.

“I have my own idea but I will let the girls choose the captain themselves,” he said.

Czech Republic squad for 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women:

Hana Horáková, Eva Vítečková, Petra Kulichová (all from the Frisco Sika Brno), Markéta Bednářová, Kateřina Elhotová (both from the ZVVZ USK Praha), Jana Veselá (Ros Casares Valencia), Ilona Burgrová (Bourges Basket), Ivana Večeřová (Galatasaray Istanbul)

Kateřina Bartoňová, Tereza Pecková, Edita Šujanová (all from the ZVVZ USK Praha), Kateřina Zohnová (Wisla Krakov), Michaela Hartigová (Kara Trutnov), Veronika Bortelová (CCC Polkowice), Michaela Zrůstová (Valosun Brno), Romana Hejdová, Alena Hanušová (both from the Frisco Sika Brno), Michaela Ferančíková (no club affiliation)

Support team

Head coach: Lubor Blažek
Assistant coaches: Ivan Beneš, Martin Petrovický, Eduard Gaisler
Fitness coach: Aleš Kaplan
Masseur: Ladislav Burian
Team manager: Ladislav Jirsa
Technical manager: Petra Landergott
Team physicians: MUDr. Milan Smejkal, MUDr. Milan Valcha, MUDr. Alois Hrabec
IT and video equipment: Ondřej Dufek

LOC