Belgium expect 'starting five' back for 2017

ANTWERP (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Belgium coach Eddy Casteels fully expects the country's leading players that were absent in the successful FIBA EuroBasket 2017 qualifying campaign to be back on court for the national team next year.

Sam Van Rossom, Pierre-Antoine Gillet, Axel Hervelle, Matt Lojeski and Quentin Serron weren't able to play but the Belgian Lions still won five of their six qualifying games. The team clinched a spot in the EuroBasket with a game to spare.

"We did well this year but I'm not blind to the fact that we just played Switzerland, Cyprus, Iceland," Casteels said to FIBA.com on Thursday. "It could have been a lot more difficult and we cannot hide from the fact that we were very, very young this year."

The average age of the team was 26. There were two 21-year-olds, including Vincent Kesteloot, a 2.02m power forward who logged 18.4 minutes per game, 23-year-old shooting guard Loic Schwartz, who averaged 20mpg, and Retin Obasohan, a 23-year-old point guard who averaged 18.5mpg.

Which members of the team, especially those with less experience, will play at the EuroBasket? It's something that Casteels is already considering.

"Me as a coach, I believe that some of them can but question whether others 1 - Have the talent to perform at that level and 2 - Are they mentally strong enough to be a part of a European Championship?"

Casteels is confident that the veterans will make Belgium, a team that reached the Round of 16 at EuroBasket 2015, more dangerous.

"We were missing a starting line-up, but a starting line-up is ready to come back for us and be available. That's 100 percent sure." - Casteels

"They're going to be available," he said. "Quentin Serron, Pierre-Antoine Gillet - the two players that were out with injury - for sure are coming back because they are simply going to strengthen the roster.

"Sam Van Rossom was out with injury and could not play this year because of the rehabilitation after his knee operation but he will be back.

"We even have the promise of Matt Lojeski that this year he would skip but would be available for the European Championship and this week or next week, I'm flying to Bilbao to sit together with Axel Hervelle, who had minor problems this year but for sure is interesting in coming back.

"We were missing a starting line-up, but a starting line-up is ready to come back for us and be available. That's 100 percent sure."

As for the youngsters that are on the fringe of selection for the EuroBasket, most will definitely figure prominently for the team at some point when it competes in the qualifying games for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Part of getting ready for FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying campaign is for a big squad of young players, aged 18 to 22, to travel to Dallas, Texas, in the last week of June next year for national team workouts.

"There will be 16 to 18 players going there," Casteels said. "It's part of trying to get to the World Championship (World Cup)."

Casteels has a lot on his mind. He wants to win now, and in the future. He envisions his Lions making the next step at the EuroBasket, getting into the last eight or even the last four.

"Next year, we are focusing on trying to make the next level," Casteels said.

"I'm not saying we're going to make the next level because being that young, but 90 percent of the team of this year is the focus of what we will bring together for the future."

Retin Obasohan, 23, helped Belgium qualify for FIBA EuroBasket 2017

And Casteels says Belgium have every right to think they can qualify for the World Cup in China.

"If Finland played in it (2014), why can't it be possible for us?" he said. Finland played as a wild card at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

"We've got talent coming on," Casteels said. "We have a solid focus now on the federation building for the future and we're going after it.

"I really do believe that most of the top countries maybe do not believe we can make it, but we do. We would only say afterwards that it was not possible, that we came up short - but not before.

"After four European Championships, we deserve some credit. Countries like Spain, France inviting you (for friendly games) means that they really respect what you are trying to create."

FIBA