The upcoming match with the British will decide the fate of the Russian national team

The coming in Moscow on January 22, a match with the England team, according to the mentor of Russians Sergei Elevich, will decide the fate of the Russian national team. This was announced today by the head coach of the Russian team in the Novogorsk training center at a press conference on preparations for the two remaining matches of the qualifying tournament of the European Championship 2003 with the British and Italians.

“On the eve of our team conducted a 1.5 -hour training, after which I was satisfied with the condition of the players,” Elevich remarked. “Everyone is ready, there are no tired ones. True, there is a small problem with Alexander Bashminov, who extended the ankle a few days before the collection. On Tuesday it will be determined whether he will be able to go to the site in a match with the British.” According to Elevich, he personally talked with each player and is almost sure that the defeat that happened in Portugal should not be repeated.

To the question of the ITAR -TASS correspondent about the possibility of further involvement in the national team of Sergei Panov in the light of his latest statements in the media, where he said that he would not want to return to such a team where he was not waiting, Elevich replied: “In my opinion, Panov is one of the four best Russian basketball players. He did not exhaust his reserve in the national team. In any case, the door is always there for him Open ".

Elevich’s team will hold the final meeting of the qualifying cycle on January 25 with the Italian team also in Moscow. The victory over the British will practically provide the Russians by access to the final part of the continental championship, which will be held in Sweden in the summer.