Linskens ready for her new adventure

NYMBURK (EuroCup Women 2017) – The talented Kyara Linskens is ready to take her career forward with Basketball Nymburk and also show that a resurgent Belgium are more than Emma Meesseman and Ann Wauters.

Having enjoyed a standout youth career for her country, the frontcourt ace is now clutching a bronze medal after Belgium racked up their landmark podium finish at FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017.

While All-Star Five member Emma Meesseman took credit alongside the legendary Ann Wauters, the cameo performance by Linskens in the Third-Place game against Greece, when she added a handy 9 points, was instrumental in their success.

Still only 20-years-old, there is huge potential for her to help Belgium maintain their high standards when Wauters eventually retires. Linskens is enjoying the ride and making the most of playing with some high-quality team-mates as Belgium also look forward to the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 in Spain.

She revealed: "With the national team of Belgium, we have written history. I feel fantastic after such a great experience and I am still enjoying the medal as it can't be forgotten.

"We've become friends, we believed and helped each other. We also had incredible energy and desire to win every game. We never gave up - even in the toughest moments."

She continued: "I've learned a lot from [Ann] Wauters and [Emma] Meesseman, including how not to play under stress, to always be ready to jump from the bench into a match, and also that the alternating player is very important for the team.

"Of course, it's also good to listen to what the coach wants and to always be positive."

The momentum and confidence of Linskens at this early juncture of her burgeoning career will benefit Basketball Nymburk this season. The player is back on Czech Republic soil to take up her first club assignment outside of her homeland.

She already knows all about EuroCup Women and Nymburk from the 2016-17 EuroCup Women campaign, when she was wearing the colors of Namur.

She mused: "My dream was to be a professional player and to play abroad, so after three professional years in Belgium, I felt I was ready to try out basketball away from home.

"I played twice against Nymburk last season and I saw that they are a really good team with great potential and I also liked the game style that they played.Linskens played in EuroCup Women last season with Namur

"Then the Nymburk coach came to me and said he wanted me to play this season and it sounded like a great opportunity as I think I can improve with this team."

Linskens is also now able to step on court alongside the towering Aleksandra Khomenchuk, having engaged in quite a battle with the Ukraine national team center last season in the competition - something which took a physical toll on her new team-mate

"Now I'm a little bit sorry for her and what happened," joked Linskens.

"I think as a team, we're both going to be very strong under the basket and I'm excited about it.

"I also believe we will be able to count on the support of the fans and in return, we can show them the best we can, with games that are full of combat and commitment," she concluded.

Linskens will step out with Basketball Nymburk in Group H against GDESSA-Barreiro and Virtus Eirene Ragusa.

FIBA