GREEN, BUT NOT FAZED

Cheridene Green is flourishing amid Great Britain’s summer odyssey.

Not out of her depth, a fish immersed happily in water, the London-born big has absolutely slimmed seamlessly into the fray in her first senior campaign.

Just 23, likely to be a mainstay for the next decade, already reliable with the potential for growth above and beyond.

Along with Janice Monakana, EuroBasket 2019 has provided a graduation party onto the international stage, a spell which will be extended should GB defeat Ukraine on Sunday in Riga and assure themselves, at the very least, of a spot in Mondayâ€

s playoff round – or, should Latvia stun Spain – a direct pass into the quarter-finals.

And Green, averaging four points and 3.5 rebounds and a bucketload of effective defence off the bench, has proven her value and then some in spelling Temi Fagbenle and as one half of a sizeable tandem.

Yet it is all a work in progress, she claims.

“Iâ€

m still trying to find my purpose with this team. Because I know how I can help the team. I just have to believe in myself that I can. I feel like itâ€

s a journey.

“Things wonâ€

t happen overnight. But Iâ€

m still finding a way to be on the same page as everybody else.â€

GB will need all hands on deck against a Ukraine side who remain winless and are staring instant elimination in the face.

In all likelihood, the Spanish will run the table by seeing off the co-hosts in the evening. Second place, and the probability of confronting Sweden or the Czech Republic, offers Chema Bucetaâ€

s side a very appealing alternate.

Lose, and there is the lottery of a possible three-way tie on points, with basket differential coming into play.

Green got used to win-or-exit games during her three years at the University of Tennessee. The Sevenoaks Suns product will soon head for Poland, having signed a one-year deal with Gorzow.

Whenever GB eventually take their leave of EuroBasket, she will depart a little wiser and readier for this past month.

“This is a great experience to have the opportunity to be here,†she affirms. “The first win (over Latvia) that we got, I was really happy about it. We fought really hard.

“The teamâ€

s defence and everybodyâ€

s energy was great. Thatâ€

s contagious.â€

Buceta remains a figure of calm to quieten any tensions, taking his side through a gentle shootaround on Saturday as a recovery from the excesses of coming 90 seconds away from stunning Spain the previous evening.

Then some time off – for the players at least – to unwind and then regroup for a vital 48 hours.

Ukraine is just test one of two-parter, the 62-year-old Spaniard anticipates. His squad want to be in Belgrade, fighting for something meaningful next Thursday when the quarters are staged.

“Weâ€

re taking a longer pathway to the quarter-finals and that means winning on Sunday and Monday,†Buceta said.

“Ukraine missed a lot of shots against Latvia but they have a lot of players who can score. Defensively, theyâ€

re not as strong. But our defence has been great and we have to take advantage of that.

“We have to be prepared. Weâ€

re in the finals of EuroBasket and the good thing is we are going toe-to-toe with everybody.â€

– If Spain win against Latvia they finish  first in the group with a 3-0 record and qualify directly to the Quarter-Finals.

– Great Britain will finish in second place, Latvia will finish in third place and Ukraine will be eliminated in last place.

– If Spain win against Latvia they finish  first in the group with a 3-0 record and qualify directly to the Quarter-Finals.

– If Ukraine beat Latvia they can finish in 2nd, 3rd, or even still be eliminated. This scenario will cause a three-way tie situation involving  Ukraine, Great Britain and Latvia who will all hold 1-2 records.  The final standings will be determined by head-to-head records and points differential.  In this scenario, Latvia can only finish 3rd or be eliminated.

– Ukraine will be eliminated and there will be a three-way tie for positions 1st, 2nd and 3rd, since Spain, Latvia and Great Britain will all hold 2-1 records. The final standings will be determined by head-to-head records and points differential.  In this scenario, only Great Britain can’t drop as low as third place.

– Latvia will finish as the group winners and qualify directly to the Quarter-Finals.– Spain will finish in second place, Ukraine will be third and Great Britain will be eliminated

Photo: Mansoor Ahmed

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