Podium or not, Belarus back among leading women's basketball nations

BUDAPEST (EuroBasket Women 2015) - While they still have the chance to take their second-ever medal at EuroBasket Women Final Round, there is a strong case for the notion that suggest Belarus have already accomplished their mission.

With dethroned champions Spain very much the favourites to clinch the last podium step in the Third-Place Game, Belarus could end up in fourth spot and without anything hanging around their necks.

However even if they don't get a medal, they might feel that they deserve a badge pinned to their chests which congratulates them for restoring Belarus as one of the leading women's basketball nations.

Former head coach Rimantas Grigas achieved an impressive fifth place at EuroBasket Women 2013, before a perhaps disappointing outing at the FIBA Women's World Championship in Turkey resulted in him being replaced by Anatoli Buyaksli.

The man who initially led Belarus to their glory days back in 2007 when they won bronze in Italy and then qualified for the 2008 Olympics, could yet repeat the feat.

But, even if they did end up only improving one place on their Final Round finish in France, it is still a significant step forward according to Katsiaryna Snytsina.

We had some difficult years and now we are fighting for the medals again. - Snytsina

"We have already shown we are back as one of the biggest nations by reaching the last four," declared the wing star.

Buyalski has given Belarus a great chance to reach the Rio Olympics and after losing to Serbia in the Semi-Finals, it was clear that he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"It's always hard and especially when you lose by only one shot," he mused.

His team almost made history by reaching their first Final, but instead that landmark honour was taken by Serbia.

Yet the comment made by Buyalski and his demeanour only served to underline just how close his team came.

While agonising to be only a whisker away from a high tide mark, it will no doubt have also satisfied him that his players got Belarus within touching distance - and, especially against expectations and hopes when the aeroplane wheels touched down in Romania earlier this month.

As for Spain head coach Lucas Mondelo, he certainly has racked up a first and not one that he wanted.

Having taken Spain to the title during his major tournament debut back in Orchies a couple of years ago, he then made history by catapulting Spain to a maiden appearance in the final of the FIBA Women's World Championship.

Now it's a case of third time unlucky for Mondelo as he will have the unusual feeling of ending a tournament without competing in the title game.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was etched on the face of Laia Palau, who tried to talk during the media conference [after the loss to France] above the audible background noise of Les Bleues fans celebrating.

It reminded her she would not be signing off her EuroBasket Women career as a champion.

But perhaps a little like Mondelo and her team-mates, missing out on the final might be a surprise to some, but the defending champions not getting a medal at all, remains unthinkable with so many people having tipped them to retain their coveted crown.

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

FIBA