CZE - The Czech players are happy about their group

KARLOVY VARY (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - They have recently beaten their competitors from Argentina and Japan in important battles. In this regard, the Czech players may be satisfied with the draw for the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women.

“I think our group is not bad at all. All the competitors can be beaten, including the favored Russians,” said Markéta Bednářová on behalf of the nominated players.

Furthermore, the host team is happy about playing against Argentina at the first game of the championship in Brno, as this may be considered on of the weaker teams in Group D.

“It is perfect. We have beaten the Argentina team in the qualification for the Beijing Olympic Games by twenty points. It is certainly an advantage that we don’t have to compete against the Russians at the very start. It is very important to win the first game for the entire team to relax,” commented Bednářová.

Her feelings were shared by Kateřina Elhotová, her co-player on the national team and the club of USK Praha: “The Argentinian style suits us better than the Japanese game. The Asian players are unpredictable. Because of their height they usually do not play much under the basket but they are able to score even from a spot two meters behind the three-point line.”

How high is Czech national team aiming for the upcoming World Championship?

The public hopes for a medal. Following the draw, they are all aware that they will meet someone from the super-strong trio of the US, Australia, and France in the quarter-finals.

“We must first succeed in our group, and then really get it rolling. I know that advancing from an easier group means harder matches at a later stage. But honestly, there are very few teams in the world able to beat the US or Australia,” pointed out the Czech coach Lubor Blažek.

FIBA