This summer will mark a new era for Luxembourgish women’s basketball. After playing several years in the Eurobasket Division B, the squad from the Grand-Duchy will face for the first time competition from a higher level.
Luxembourgish basketball has seen a steep evolution in the past years. The conditions for athletes and especially basketball players have improved considerably. With the instalment of the first National sports elite high school, youngsters are given the opportunity to pursue their ambitions as student athletes. On top of that, the country has witnessed the rise of their first female professional basketball players, Tessy Hetting and Nadia Mossong. Liz Schmitz will follow in their footsteps and turn pro the upcoming season and even more girls are likely to do the same in the future. The positive development culminated with the first victories on the Eurobasket level against Albania during the last Division B campaign. And it should not yet stop there.
“The upcoming competition will be tough for my team. We are realistic. Our chances of winning many games this summer are slim, but we are not without any chance”, says the head coach of the team Hermann Paar. Having steered the team for the past ten years, he is finally able to reap the first fruit of his and his girls’ labour. He sees this years’ Eurobasket Qualification Round as the next logic step along the road. “Obviously, our primary target is not qualifying for France, but growing as a team and gaining experience on this level. From literally no names we had become worthy opponents on the Division B level. In the future we plan on doing the same progress on this level.” Not a small challenge for a country with only half a million inhabitants.
Luxembourg will face Finland, Latvia, Italy and Greece in Group E. The Luxembourgish roster consists of 19 players. Other than on the team captains Nadia Mossong (OKE Panthers/Ger) and Tessy Hetting (Point Chaud Sprimont/Bel), coaches Hermann Paar and Mariusz Dziurdzia can count on Léonie de Jonge (Cornell College/USA), Jil Haentges (Point Loma Nazarene University/USA), Liz Schmitz (Jeugd Gentson/Bel), Anouk Wagener, Kim Brück (both T71 Dudelange/Lux), Jill Bausch, Michèle Orban (both Résidence Walferdange/Lux), Lena Hetto, Nadia Marcus (both US Heffingen/Lux), Lynn Kauffmann, Julie Zovilé (both AB Contern/Lux), Cathy Schmit, Laure Diederich, Magaly Meynadier (all Musel Pikes/Lux), Lisy Hetting, Jo Schreiner and Lynn Schreiner (all Etzella Ettelbrück/Lux).
