Portugal national team

[rikhardur]

Portugal Upbeat Ahead Of Additional Qualifying Round

Most people expect either France or Italy to win the Additional Qualifying Round for EuroBasket 2009 but Portugal coach Moncho Lopez isn't one of them.

Lopez, whose team was drawn in Group A of the AQR with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium, fully expects his team to fight as hard as ever to reach the Final Round.

"Our group is very balanced and I am happy with it," Lopez said to Basketball World News.

The winner of the additional qualifiers will join Russia, Latvia and Germany in Group B of EuroBasket 2009.

"What I expect from our pool opponents is respect," Lopez warned. "We may be a good surprise in this Additional Qualifying Round."

Portugal looked like relegation fodder after beginning their Division A campaign with successive defeats to Estonia, FYROM and Latvia, but they bounced back with three consecutive wins against the same opponents to remain in contention.

"My players have shown that home games are extremely crucial and we will keep this posture throughout the next games," Lopez said.

"Home games are must-win.

"Our aim goes beyond winning games at home, though. We will face these teams [Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina] with the same attitude as if we were playing at home."

Portugal struggled with the absence of some key players during the summer qualifying round for various reasons.

Francisco Jordão is under a disciplinary process after staying away while Joao Gomes and Felipe da Silva were also unavailable.

All three had very good moments at EuroBasket 2007 in Spain, where Portugal reached the Qualifying Round for the Quarter-Finals.

Lopez expects to have a stronger squad when he gathers the men for the EuroBasket 2009 preparations.

"I am really keen to see Felipe da Silva sorting out all his family issues as soon as possible," Lopez said.

"He is one of the best point guards in the country.

"João [Betinho] Gomes could be an important player for us. But it will depend on how FIBA decide on Carlos Andrade's naturalization process. (According to the Portugal Federation, Andrade started his naturalization process before turning 18).

"Having both players on the roster, which is legally possible, would be fantastic.

"I prefer not to talk about Jordão's process now. But good teams are made by players who want to play for the team, not by names."

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_8Bx069e,H...tpage.html