Group E preview - Consistency will win through

RIGA (2011 FIBA U19 World Championship) - As the FIBA U19 World Championship moves onto its next stage, the tournament throws up a group tougher to predict than the Latvian weather.
 
When Poland, Brazil, Russia, Australia, Latvia and Argentina arrived from Valmiera to Riga on Sunday they were welcomed by conditions more appropriate for the beach than the hardwood floors of Arena Riga. But soon after the rain was falling heavily, proving that the local weather is just an unpredictable as the newly formed Group E.
 
All six of the teams come into this round boasting a two-win, one-loss record seeing every team sitting on five points. During pool play, all Group E participants showed an ability to beat anyone on their given day but more worryingly for their respective coaches, they also showed an inability to remain consistent. The four teams that move onto the quarter finals from this group will ultimately come down to what teams can bring their "A" game for three consecutive nights.
 
Perhaps the most consistent of all the teams - and one of the few that can be relatively confident of progressing to the quarter finals - are Group A runners up Brazil. It was only an individual piece of brilliance from Russian Sergey Karasev that denied them an overtime showdown in their opening game while they have grown with strength in their remaining two pool games.
 
Despite beating Brazil, Russian Coach Mikhail Solovyev was left scratching his head after his team inexplicably flopped against Poland, leaving fans wondering just what game they will turn up with on Monday. Should Russia play like they did against Brazil then the quarter finals are a certainty - play like they did against Poland and the men in red will be taking an early train back to Moscow.
 
Poland has purposely brought a young team to Latvia this year, using the tournament as preparation for the U18 European Championships. It has had his disadvantages however with the Polish bench being badly exposed when called upon. Coach Jerzy Szembelan will instead place a heavy reliance on a core group of players which may prove costly as exhaustion begins to kick in.
 
For hosts Latvia to continue to winning and take a quarter final berth two things must happen: They must adapt to playing in the larger Arena Riga where it will be difficult for the crowd to recreate the levels of hysteria reached in Valmiera and superstar Davis Bertans must get back his game that went missing against Argentina on Sunday.
 
Australia have had to deal with in the words of their coach Damian Cotter, "a fair amount of adversity" yet despite the injuries suffered to key members, the Australians have done what they are renowned for doing best and dug in deep to keep producing the goods. With Hugh Greenwood returning from an ankle injury suffered against Latvia, Australia will be confident that a quarter final berth beckons.
 
In their opening two games Argentina looked disappointing but as the only team to thus far knock over hosts, the Argentines have shown that they know how to raise their game at the right moment. If they can continue to improve day by day then the South Americans will remain a chance of sneaking into the final eight.

FIBA