Biggest EuroBasket Success
The Russian women’s 12-year wait for a first European gold since the breakup of the Soviet Union was finally ended in 2003 when they managed to snatch the top spot in a 59-56 thriller against the Czech Republic. Vadim Kapranov’s girls were able to regroup after two painful debut loses to Slovakia and Spain which nearly caused the coach to resign.  However, Kapranov was strong and clever enough to shut his eyes to media pressure and brought Russia back to glory.

Biggest EuroBasket Disaster
Though names the La Gazzetta dello Sport 1998 Women’s Player of the Year, Elena

		Maria Stepanova will once again be Russia's big gun.

Baranova disappointed just a year earlier at EuroBasket Women 1997 in Budapest.  Before that tournament started the Russians were hoping to take a small step up after winning bronze two years earlier. However, things didn’t work out that way as the Russians lost twice in the preliminary round and then were thumped by Germany in the quarterfinals. The lone bright spot was an astonishing 18-year-old prodigy Maria Stepanova who led faded Russians in points (16.0 ppg) and rebounds (8.1 rpg).

Best Individual Performance/Best Player of All-Time
A well-known NHL rising star, Alexander Ovechkin earned the flattering nickname “the Great” in his early days in America. However, he is not the only member of his family who merited this tile. Without a doubt his mother, Tatiana Ovechkina, handed down to her son the skills which have made him such a prolific player – unquestionable leadership, an excellent ability to make decision under pressure and eagle-eye vision. Ovechkina won two gold medals representing the USSR as well as one World Championship and six EuroBaskets Women gold medals. Recently she was named the greatest female point guard of the century by the Russian Basketball Federation.

Scouting report
After two previous and successful campaigns Igor Grudin now possesses a more experienced but still very young team with a better understanding of his defensive concept. With their speedy wings and fluid front line, Russia will definitely try to play at the speed they always have but avoid playing out-of-control as has sometimes happened in the past. They should be improved from distance as slasher Ilona Korstin found her outside shooting touch this season. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that the European vice-champions have no reasons to rack their brains, with their biggest worry being the health and freshness of the team’s cornerstone Maria Stepanova.

Likely Squad
There are nine players with more-or-less guaranteed spots in the final roster. Guards Oxana Rahmatulina, Ilona Korstin and Svetlana Abrosimova; forwards Olga Arteshina, Natalia Vodopyanova, Tatiana Schegoleva, Irina Sokolovskaya and centers Maria Stepanova and Elen Shakirova. The other three shirts are still up for grabs, however. During preparations for EuroBasket Women 2007 Anastasia Fomina and Ekaterina Demagina will have to compete for a ticket to Italy as the backup point guard. Marina Karpunina will get a look for the reserve shooting guard position together with Elena Danilochkina and the last EuroBasket ticket will be given to one of the bigs – Ekaterina Lisina, Irina Osipova, Marina Kuzina or Maria Nikitina.

Prediction
It’s becoming a tradition that Russia receives the toughest possible opponents and this year is no different as they have been thrown into Group C with France, Greece and hosts Italy. As a result the Russians are unlikely to fly out of the gate and may struggle a bit in the early going. But beware, after one or two accidental misfires in the preliminary round the Russians are going to be totally in the conversation by the time the final rounds roll around.

Last 10 FIBA events
Year Event Place Achievement
2006 World Championship Sao Paulo Silver medal
2005 EuroBasket Ankara Silver medal
2004 Olympics Athens Bronze medal
2003 Eurobasket Patras Gold medal
2002 World championship Nanjing Silver medal
2001 Eurobasket Le Mans Silver medal
2000 Olympics Sydney 6tt
1999 Eurobasket Katowice Bronze medal
1998 World Championship Berlin Silver medal
1997 Eurobasket Budapest 6th

How did they qualify?
EuroBasket 2005
Silver Medal (5 W – 3 L)
Results
Preliminary Round
Date Game Result
Sept-2nd 2005 Romania b. Russia 60-92
Sept-3rd 2005 Russia b. Turkey 91-87
Sept-4th 2005 Spain b. Russia 83-77
Sept-6th 2005 Russia b. Lithuania 67-80
Sept-7th 2005 Serbia & Montenegro b. Russia 69-86
Quarter-finals
Sept-9th 2005 France b. Russia 56-70
Semi-finals
Sept-10th 2005 Lithuania b. Russia 60-65
Final
Sept-11th 2005 Czech Republic b. Russia 72-70