Biggest EuroBasket Women Success
Belarus has a long and glorious history in basketball but most of it has taken place under the flag of the USSR.  During the years of independence, Belarus had never qualified for EuroBasket Women. That all changed last year when they did get through the qualifying round for the first time in country history. That is why the game against Greece in Minsk's Palace of Sports was a historical one. Belarus desperately needed a win to progress to the final round for the first time in country's history and got it with a 63-60 win thanks to 22 points from reserve Katsiaryna Snytsina and crucial free throws by captain Nataliya Trafimava.

Biggest EuroBasket Women Disaster
Belarus has never played in the final round so the biggest disappointments have always taken place in the qualifiers. Probably the most painful was an 82-81 loss to Bulgaria in May of 1999 during the qualifying round for EuroBasket Women 2001. It was the last game of the group schedule against the hosts and the winner would punch their ticket to the semifinal round.  Belarus led by five points after the break, lost the lead but went on a run in the closing minutes. At this moment the lights over the arena went off giving the hosts precious time to gather themselves. The Bulgarians saved the moment and a promising Belarusian team stayed home.

Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
Anzhela Duboiskaya's career as a National Team player is on the decline but not so long ago coaches dreamed of having her on their roster. In May, 2001 she averaged 26.7 points and 9.7 rebounds during the qualifying round for EuroBasket Women 2001.  She set National Team records in a game against Bosnia and Herzegovina scoring 32 points (still a record) and adding 14 rebounds. Duboyskaya is probably the most consistent player in the history of the independent Belarusian team but not the best Belarusian-born. In 2003, a panel of journalists, fans and experts voted

		Yelena Leuchanka is a key post player for Belarus.

Galina Savitskaya as the best Belarusian player of all-time. Savitskaya was a leader for Soviet National Team and won just about every medal it was possible to win, with the exception of Olympic gold.

Scouting report
Belarusia’s frontline is probably one of the best in the tournament with Marina Kress, Yelena Leuchanka and Anastasiya Verameenka able to cause a lot of problems for any team. Belarus also has a pair of explosive point guards in Natallia Marchanka and Olga Podobed and coach Anatoly Buyalski is not afraid to use them together. Other players are dangerous as well with EuroLeague Women All-Star Sviatlana Volnaya, steady captain Nataliya Trafimava and super-sub Katsiaryna Snytsina playing on the wings.

Prediction
Belarusian sports' bosses like to hear big promises and the words of Anatoly Buyalski are still ringing in their ears after he said he thought the team might be able to qualify for the Olympics after winning Division B. Now facing the highest level of competition, the team from Belarus plan to fight for the second place in their group and a spot in the qualifying round. Belarus has enough talent to make it to EuroBasket Women, but will probably struggle against European powerhouses.

Likely Squad
Anatoly Buyalski has made no secret of the fact that he plans to assemble more or less the same squad that won the place in EuroBasket Women. Fans pray for the health of key players and hope that Marina Kress will return to top form after missing the year because of health problems. Injury-prone Yelena Leuchanka also adds some worries for the coaches and fans, partly because of the looming possibility of earning a spot on the Houston Comets’ roster.

Last 10 events
2006 World Championship, Sao Paolo - Did not qualify
2005 EuroBasket, Ankara - Did not qualify
2004 Olympics,  Athens - Did not qualify
2003 EuroBasket,  Patras - Did not qualify
2002 World Championship, Nanjing - Did not qualify
2001 EuroBasket, Le Mans - Did not qualify
2000 Olympics, Sydney - Did not qualify
1999 EuroBasket, Katowice - Did not qualify
1998 World Championship, Berlin - Did not qualify
1997 EuroBasket, Budapest - Did not qualify

How did they qualify
Qualifying round, 2nd in Group A (4 W — 2 L)
Results
Sept-6th 2006 Belarus b. *Bulgaria 70-66
Sept-9th 2006 *Belarus b. Hungary 56-48
Sept-13th 2006 *Greece b. Belarus 79-71
Sept-16th 2006 *Belarus b. Bulgaria 76-56
Sept-20th 2006 *Hungary b. Belarus 54-47
Sept-23rd 2006 *Belarus b. Greece 63-60
* home team