Playing against the number one and three ranked nations in women’s wheelchair basketball (Germany and The Netherlands), the Gliders came up against the type of high quality opposition they will need to overcome if they are to return to the podium in Toronto.
Despite going winless through the four games in two days, Australian Gliders Head Coach Tom Kyle was pleased with the efforts of his players after a gruelling travel itinerary.
“This was a tough but pleasing start to the campaign,” Kyle said.
“The team were very fatigued after travelling 30 hours to reach Germany and having less than 24 hours to recover before hitting the court back-to-back games against high-quality opposition.
“We were below par, as was to be expected against Germany, but to fight back against the Dutch in Game Two shows we have what is needed.”
The tour started with a tough 62-38 loss to Germany before a much improved performance later on the Saturday against The Netherlands, going down 51-42, with Bridie Kean leading the Gliders charge with 12 points.
Sunday’s Game Three against the Dutch saw the same exact result as the previous clash, with again Kean top-scoring on 12 points.
The improved energy levels around the team were reflected in the final game of the Gliders stay in Germany, going down to the host nation 60-47 in a vastly better performance than their series opener.
Shelly Chaplin top-scored for the Gliders with 11 points, while Kyle Gauci (8 points) and Amber Merritt (8 points) offered valuable support among nine different scorers.
The Gliders now head to Holland for a week-long training camp with the Dutch national team before making their way to Toronto leading into their opening game of the 2014 IWBF Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships against the USA.
The 2014 IWBF Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships will be held in Toronto, Canada from 20-28 June.
For the latest information on the 2014 IWBF Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships visit the official tournament website at http://2014wheelchairbasketball.com/.
Originally posted on Basketball Australia
Comments
Comment Guidelines: The SportsTG Network is made up of players, families and passionate sports followers like you who have a strong opinion about sport. That's great - we want you to have your say and share your thoughts with the world. However, we have a few rules that you must follow to keep it fun for all. Please don't be rude, abusive, swear or vilify others. Apart from some pretty serious sport sanctions, we also can ban you and report you if things get out of hand. So play fair and have fun, and thanks for your contribution.