EuroBasket Women 2015 - Group E (Debrecen) Preview

Debrecen (EuroBasket Women 2015) - It's not how you start, it's how you finish. So even though Belarus and France have crossed the border from Romania into Hungary with the optimal haul of four points heading into the Second Round of EuroBasket Women 2015, neither should feel that a place in the Quarter-Finals is an absolute certainty.

The French, who face Greece in their Group E opener on Wednesday, lost at least one quarter in each of their three games to date and were only approaching their dynamic best in their battling victory over Montenegro. Les Bleues are averaging a tournament-high 79.8 points but they were only 12th in field goals allowed, a symptom of the defensive lapses that had head coach Valerie Garnier openly critical of her team.

For the 2013 silver medallists, however, there is still an assumption that they have yet to hit fifth gear despite just one loss this summer.

"It's the Second Round so it will be tough," point guard Celine Dumerc said. "But from what we did in the First Round, I hope it will help us. Belarus and Turkey are good match-ups for us because they have tall inside players. They've been at the high level in Europe for years now so we know each other really well.

"No matter what, we want to win every game to be in the best seeding for the Quarter-Finals against the fourth team on the other side. You also want that confidence moving on."

Belarus are also buoyant but not overly so. An overtime win over now-eliminated Italy in their opener was their only significant examination so far. They are attempting and making more three-point attempts than anyone else. And there is a sense of greater contentment with Anatoli Buyalski in charge. But it is still a work in progress, says center Yelena Leuchanka.

This round is more of a tester. Everyone raises their game. - Leuchanka

"Our defense can improve and our rebounding. When you play better defense, that's the real difference maker, more than offence. But we need to try some new things to take the wins we need." 

First up for the Belarussians are old foes, the Czech Republic, who they defeated twice in the build-up to the tournament. The 2010 FIBA Women's World Championship finalists have looked ragged at times but with occasional sparks of their best. Yet, with no wins carried forward, two wins in Round 2 will likely be required.

"We definitely have to raise the bar," Ilona Burgrova admitted. "Because if you want to beat Belarus or Turkey, or even Greece who have been playing with passion and heart, you have to move up a level and put more heart into our game."

The same may be said of another veteran crew, Turkey, who are struggling offensively with an average of only 55 points per game so far, with a team-high 12.5 of those coming from the hands of center Lara Sanders, who may need even more touches inside if her adopted nation want to progress.

Their Wednesday opponents Montenegro will probe their credentials. An outsider for the medal round, they showed enough in their loss on Monday to France that they will push anyone, especially with Jelena Dubljevic and Iva Perovanovic forming a potent one-two combination.

"We have proved we can play with any team in Europe," head coach Momir Milatovic acknowledged.

The one unproven component of Group E, however, is Greece who have turned themselves into a grind machine to survive, compiling a miserly 54.3 points per game but also allowing a mere 59.8.

It allowed them to progress, despite never scoring about 60 points. Maintaining that, especially against the juggernaut of France, will be an incredibly difficult ask.

But everyone still has room for improvement as the finish line comes closer.

Go to EuroBasketWomen2015.com for full coverage of EuroBasket Women 2015.

FIBA