Luxembourg will travel to Switzerland to play the first of two games in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers on Thursday (19:30). The team certainly has great memories since Luxembourg was able to grab an 81:43 victory over the opponent last November.
National team head coach Mariusz Dziurdzia is eager to repeat the success that Luxembourg had last year, but notes that the circumstances have changed: „Our goal is to repeat the success we had last year and beat Switzerland one more time. However, we will arrive with a slightly different team and clearly have lost size under the baskets with the absence of Lisa Jablonowski. Ehi Etute is our center and tallest player under the baskets which makes it difficult and even more important to show a great fighting spirit. Switzerland will have Evita Herminjard in its roster, she played against T71 in the EuroCup competition with Pietanske and scored 16 points, she can be considered the « star » of the team. Furthermore, players like Nancy Fora or Mia Heide could be part of their roster so that their quality in the team will be much different compared to last year. »
In the world rankings, Swtizerland ranks at place 60, Luxembourg at place 68, both teams are therefore equally strong on paper. „A success against a country like Switzerland is certainly realistic and needs to be the goal of our team. We need to give our best effort, we can not take a break at any moment of the game. Offensively, we need to create open shots and make them, then we will have a chance to win this game. The most important aspect of the game will be in defense. If we win a game with the national team, it is always because our defense is strong. If can keep Switzerland under 70 or even under 65 points, that would give us a chance to compete for the victory. »
Luxembourg will have a short preparation with a couple of practices as a team once the players from abroad join the team this week. On Wednesday, the team will travel to Switzerland with the game being scheduled on Thursday evening at Fribourg.
The coaching staff has decided to nominate the following 12 players into the roster:
– Bidinger Charlie
– Dittgen Michelle
– Etute Ehis
– Hämäläinen Isa
– Irthum Laurie
– Irthum Liz
– Mersch Lena
– Meynadier Magaly
– Mreches Catherine
– Skrijelj Esmeralda
– Schumacher Laetitia
– Vujakovic Julija
Save the dates! Our women’s national team will be in action not only on Thursday on the road, but also on Sunday at home at the Coque in Kirchberg against Bosnia and Herzegovina. (ticket presale –> Ticket presale is open! )
RTL Rebound (Reportage vum FLBB Training an d’Catherine Mreches am RTL Studio) –> RTL Rebound 5. November
