Russia (bbabo.net), - The President of the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF), European champion in 2007 and bronze medalist of the 2012 Olympics Andrei Kirilenko commented on the success of our women's team in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Australia. "It is very important for a young team to be in the top dozen teams of the planet," Kirilenko stressed.
In the decisive match of our group of intercontinental selection at the 2022 World Cup, the Russians defeated rivals from Puerto Rico - 102:68. Kirilenko was personally present at this match in the capital of the Dominican Republic, the city of Santo Domingo. The victory made it possible to win a ticket to the 2022 World Cup, which will be held from September 22 to October 1 in Sydney (Australia). This time, 12 teams will compete for medals, although there were 16 participants at the previous world championship. It is important to note that the Russians last competed at the World Cup in 2010, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Our basketball players missed the 2014 and 2018 goals tournaments, as they performed unsuccessfully at the 2013 and 2017 Old World Championships.
- Our team deserved a trip to Australia. The team is young, with its misfires and bad days, but undoubtedly worthy of participating in the World Cup. I am very glad that we will not miss it, and the girls will get additional experience in top-level competitions, - the RFB press service quotes Kirilenko. - In Santo Domingo, the Russian team played two different matches, but you have to understand that the opponents were of different levels. Belgium, which lost 43:66, is one of the leaders in world basketball. Puerto Rico is inferior in level, but this is a team with a heart that was plaited on the parquet and did not give up, there were even skirmishes. In terms of desire to win, both teams were equal, and if we talk about basketball skills, the result was on the case.
In the Dominican Republic, under the leadership of head coach Alexander Kovalev, the following basketball players fought for a ticket to the 2022 World Cup: point guards and attacking defenders - Marina Goldyreva (Nika, Syktyvkar), Yulia Kozik, Ksenia Levchenko (both - Dynamo, Kursk), Elizaveta Komarova (Hope, Orenburg), Camilla Ogun (Namur, Belgium); forwards - Nina Glonti, Zhosselina Maiga, Alexandra Shtanko (all - MBA, Moscow), Raisa Musina ("Nika"), Daria Repnikova ("Sparta & K", Vidnoye), Olga Frolkina ("Dynamo", Kursk); center - Elizaveta Shabanova ("Dynamo" K). For health reasons, the team could not be helped by its key performers center Maria Vadeeva and long-range shot master Anastasia Shilova.
In the meeting with Puerto Rico (102:68; the score in the fourth - 22:11, 20:22, 31:12, 29:23), the most productive among the winners was the honorary duties of team captain Musina (20 points) , Glonti (18) and Komarova (18). Four long-range hits were made by Kozik (12 points in total), Frolkina, a debutant of the national team 5x5, a silver medalist of the Tokyo Olympics in basketball 3x3, was accurate three times from behind the arc (13). Musina added 17 rebounds to her 20 points, scoring an impressive double-double.
- We really missed Masha Vadeyeva - as a player, as the soul of the team, - said Raisa Musina. - But in the summer everything will be cool. Let's get together to prepare for the World Cup together. And, I hope, in Australia we will play with the strongest squad.
In addition to Russia, the USA (Olympic champion Tokyo), Australia (organizer), teams from Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, China, Nigeria, Serbia, France, South Korea, who have made their way through the current qualification tournaments in Belgrade, Osaka, Washington and Santo Domingo, will perform at the world championship. and Japan.
The group draw for the preliminary stage of the World Cup will take place on March 3 in Sydney, Australia, that is, in the city where the world championship is held.
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