2012 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament

[carlo]

In preparation to the Olympic Qualifier (Turkey, June 25 - July 1) Canadian NT will host Chinese NT for three friendly games to be played May 16-18. China has already qualified to the Olympics.
http://www.basketball.ca/canada-s-sw...n-b-c--p150115

Argentina's preliminary roster of 17 players will start training from April 23 in view of the Olympic Qualifier, competing for one berth in London (would be the first time ever for Argentina WNT). Roster looks quite different form the squad that earned the 2nd place at the 2011 Fiba Americas.
http://www.cabb.com.ar/noticia_ficha.php?id=5662

[carlo]

Canada and Czech Republic have announced their preliminary rosters:

http://www.basketball.ca/canada-bask...letes--p150367
http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/new...1483/arti.html

Canada's new entry in the Senior NT invitees is Nirra Fields (one of the top 2012 HS class), while other interesting young NCAA players are Natalie Achonwa (Sr NT in 2010), Kayla Alexander, Taryn Wicijowski (both 2009 U19) and the Plouffe sisters (2011 U19 and NT). Surprisingly, a good young player like Wumi Agunbiade (soph at Duquesne and A10 All-Conference) wasn't invited.

2010 World's championship MVP Hana Horakova is back for strong contender Czech Republic (she didn't play at last year's European championship), while Ilona Burgrova is still uncertain after ankle surgery.

[CKR13]

South Korea Women's National Team

Kim Ji-Yoon
Lee Kyung-Eun
Cho Yoon-Ah
Byun Hyun-Ah
Han Jae-Jin
Lee Jung-Eun
Kim Danbi
Sin Jeong-Ja
Kang Young-Suk
Ha Eun-Ju
Jung Sun-Hwa
Bae Hye-Yoon

[CKR13]

Japanese preliminary women's roster. 20 players in all.
http://www.japanbasketball.jp/wp-con...1965142f6a.pdf

[CKR13]

Japan has three friendly exhibition matches with Slovakia to prepare for the tournament.

May 19, @ Tochigi Prefecture, gymnasium

May 21, @ 2nd Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya

May 22, @ 2nd Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya

[JGX]

Phoenix Mercury 102 Japan 73. No Taurasi/Dupree/Bonner for Phoenix, mostly rookies and returning bench players. 27 offensive rebounds for Phoenix versus 20 total rebounds for Japan.

Japan plays the LA Sparks on Thursday.

[CKR13]

Unlike Japan, South Korea is also feeling the pinch of financial constraints. The women's side had so many foreign trips cancelled and that affects the quality of their preparations.

[carlo]

Preliminary France NT roster of 17 has been released:
http://www.ffbb.com/_actu/page_m.php...p=actu&id=8525

Players list includes former University of Maryland forward Diandra Tchatchouang who played for the Terrapins in the 2010-11 season. She left Maryland for France to rehab from an ACL injury suffered at the end of her soph season. She then joined the French League (LFB) playing at Montpellier.
Hope that standout center Sandrine Grude will soon join the other players, without her it would be very hard for French team to qualify.

[CKR13]

Lee Kyung-Eun of South Korea is out with an injury. Replacement is being screened.

[carlo]

Canada NT has been trimmed to 16 players:

Natalie Achonwa
Chelsea Aubry
Miranda Ayim
Janelle Bekkering
Krysten Boogaard
Teresa Gabriele
Lizanne Murphy
Krista Phillips
Courtnay Pilypaitis
Megan Pinske
Michelle Plouffe
Kendel Ross
Kim Smith
Alisha Tatham
Tamara Tatham
Shona Thorburn

http://www.basketball.ca/senior-wome...-to-16-p150525

It seems that priority in the selection was placed to players with international/European experience.
In fact, some very interesting college players like Kayla Alexander, Justine Colley, Taryn Wicijowski and Wumi Agunbiade were discarded and invited to a so-called "B" team, that will play exhib games in Montenegro and in Belgium.

http://www.basketball.ca/canada-bask...edule--p150531

[carlo]

Canada NT won 2-1 the three-game series with China NT played within the Jack Donohue International Classic.
http://www.basketball.ca/?t=archives
Kim Smith was named "Player of the Game" twice, while Miao LiJie hasn't played for China so far.
China is now 1-5 in its North American tour.

[CKR13]

Japan has cut its roster to twenty members:

http://www.japanbasketball.jp/event/...en/2012/japan/

The final twelve roster will be revealed soon.

[CKR13]

South Korea's Kim Danbi is out with injuries. Kim Bomi was called up.

[JGX]

Croatia beat Great Britain 81-59:
http://www.hrsport.net/vijesti/44107...kvalifikacija/

Croatia: Ivezić 8, Jelavić 3, Mišura 2, Mandir 3, Salopek 13, Perlić, Ciglar 6, Lelas 11, Mazić 2, Vrsaljko 17, Pavetić, Ivanković 13, Benić 3, Karčić, Semren, Slišković.

Great Britain: Stafford 13, Anderson 3, Collins, Vanderwall 2, Handy 6, Page 4, Thomas-Johnson 2, Leedham 15, Atewart 6, Fagbenle 6, Allen 2, Wadefray.

Croatian squad: Sandra Mandir (Gospić CO), Anđa Jelavić (Kayseri), Antonija Mišura (Jolly JBS), Iva Ciglar (Gyor), Marta Čakić (Navarra), Lisa Karčić (Caja Rural), Ana Lelas (Lattes Montpellier), Emanuela Salopek (Novi Zagreb), Mirna Mazić (Novi Zagreb), Jelena Ivezić (Gospić CO), Kristina Benić (Jolly JBS), Ana Semren (Jolly JBS), Sena Pavetić (Gospić CO), Iva Slišković (Rivas Ecopolis), Luca Ivanković (Jolly JBS), Marija Vrsaljko (Salamanca), Ivana Tikvić (Medveščak).

[JGX]

Croatia beats GB again but closer this time, 77-74:
http://www.hrsport.net/vijesti/44113...iku-britaniju/

Croatia: Ivezić 6, Jelavić 5, Mišura 6, Mandir 8, Salopek 10, Ciglar 10, Lelas 15, Mazić 7, Karcic 2, Benić, Vrsaljko 2, Ivanković 6, Perlić 2, Slišković 2, Pavetić.

Great Britain: Stafford 12, Anderson 2, Collins, Vanderwall, Handy, Page 10, Thomas-Johnson 2, Leedam 13, Stewart 14, Fagbenle 13, Allen 8, Wadefray, Gandy 6.

Czech Republic, missing some of their better players, with a rather shocking 66-54 loss at home against Puerto Rico. They play again tomorrow:
http://www.denik.cz/ostatni_sport/ce...-20120529.html

A four-team tournament starts in Turkey tomorrow with Japan, Montenegro, and Belarus joining the hosts.
http://tbf.org.tr/tbfweb/tbfweb2.nsf...1?OpenDocument

[JGX]

Czechs with a fuller team beat Puerto Rico 81-48:
http://www.sport.cz/ostatni/micove-s...viteckova.html

In the tournament in Turkey, Belarus beat Japan 57-50 while Montenegro crushed Turkey 72-47:
http://bit.ly/JRsH8W
http://bit.ly/NfjJEs

Argentina named their team for the qualifying tournament, with 7 players born 1990 or later:
http://www.cabb.com.ar/noticia_ficha.php?id=5794

[carlo]

In the touring Puerto Rico team are 6-3 center Sandra Garcia (2011-12 senior at Wake Forest and former NT member in 2011) and 5-6 PG Jennifer O'Neill (Kentucky, she sat out her soph season for an injury suffered Oct 2011 after a good freshman year).
Players list: http://www.latinbasket.com/Puerto-Ri...272594&Women=1

[carlo]

Another loss for Turkey at home, after being overwhelmed by Montenegro Turkish team was defeated by Japan 63-53.
Japan and Turkey are in the same OQT group.
Best scorers for Japan: Maki Takada and Arisa Fujiwara 13, Maya Kawahara 10, Rina Tanaka 9.
For Turkey: Nevin Nevlin 13, Quanitra Hollingsworth 11, Seda Erdogan 7.

[JGX]

France opens their preparation with a 74-66 win over Poland. They face the Poles again on Sunday and Monday:
http://www.ffbb.com/_actu/page_m.php...p=actu&id=8596

Turkey finished their tournament 0-3 after a 61-41 loss to Belarus:
http://tbf.org.tr/tbfweb/tbfweb2.nsf/%28$$TBFV1_BasinBulteni_All_WEB_View%29/FF0294D8EE5AB866C2257A10005914B1?OpenDocument

Argentina's pre-tournament schedule:
Domingo 3 de junio: Llegada a Sofía (Bulgaria)
Amistosos con la Selección de Bulgaria el lunes 4, martes 5 y miércoles 6, en la ciudad de Pravetz (Bulgaria)
Jueves 7 de junio: viaje Pravetz-Sofía-Zagreb (Croacia)
Viernes 8 al domingo 10 de junio: torneo en Croacia. Rivales a confirmar
Martes 12 de junio: partido contra Croacia
Miércoles 13 de junio: viaje Zagreb (Croacia)-Ankara (Turquía)
Viernes 15 al domingo 17 de junio: Cuadrangular con Turquía, Corea e Inglaterra
Lunes 18 al viernes 22 de junio: entrenamientos en Ankara.
Sábado 23 de junio: recibimiento oficial de la organización del Repechaje en Ankara
Lunes 25 de junio al domingo 1º de julio: Repechaje Olímpico femenino.

http://www.cabb.com.ar/noticia_ficha.php?id=5804

[carlo]

France beat Poland 74-56 (33-31) in the second prep game. French team played without star Sandrine Gruda.
Box score here .