Basketball: Great Britain make history by finishing fourth in EuroBasket tournament

Photo: Mark Ferriss

Mollie Campbell

Whitworth’s silver Commonwealth medallist Mollie Campbell and the Great Britain women’s basketball team have made history by finishing fourth in the EuroBasket tournament, the best placing by a British team at a European Championship.

The team lost 81-55 to hosts Serbia in the bronze medal play-off in Belgrade on Sunday (7 July), after losing their semi-final game 63-56 against France the day before.

Despite missing out on a medal position after facing Serbia, team GB have some consolation in being guaranteed to play in February's qualifying tournament for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Mollie, centre forward for Leicester Riders, said: "The games were an amazing experience and to be a part of a team that has made history is such an honour. We are happy with our performance at the Europeans and are focused and ready for the next task to ensure our ticket at the Olympics. 

"With this group, I feel like the sky is the limit."

GB, who beat Latvia, Ukraine and Montenegro at the tournament, are ranked 25th in the world, after reaching the quarter-finals for the first time ever – where they beat Hungary 62-59.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/128912/basketball-gb-women-through-to-eurobasket-semifinals

Mollie, the youngest player of England's basketball squad that won a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, hopes to take part in the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/118003/basketball-whitworth-student-helps-england-women-win-silver-at-the-commonwealth-games

Her basketball career began at the age of 12, when she followed in her brother’s footsteps and took up the sport, playing for Manchester Mystics.

EuroBasket sees 16 of Europe’s best teams compete for the crown, taking place between 27 June and 7 July.

Read more about Mollie and team GB at EuroBasket here:

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/news-archives?type=News&searchtype=Phrase&Criteria=eurobasket