Yakelyn Plutin of Cuba tries to score in the match aginst Belarus
Cuba sprung a mild surprise at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women on Tuesday by upsetting Belarus – last year's bronze medal winners at the EuroBasket Women.
Alberto Zabala's Cubans, who struggled for long stretches against Chinese Taipei on Monday, clinched a place in the quarter-finals with the 68-58 victory and may have avoided hosts and Group C favourites Spain in the process.
If the Spanish beat Brazil on Wednesday, they will finish top of that pool and take on Belarus should Anatoli Buyalski's team hold off Chinese Taipei.
Cuba would then take on Brazil.
"We are more familiar with Brazil's style of play, more than Spain because they are from the Americas," said Zabala, whose team defeated the Brazilians last year to reach the gold medal game at the FIBA Americas Championship in Chile before falling to the United States.
The most senior member of the squad, Yakelyn Plutin, had 23 points and seven rebounds for Cuba.
The Cubans led by as many as seven points in the first half and went to the break on top, 31-28.
Defensive pressure had been the key as they forced Belarus into turning the ball over 16 times.
When they returned to the floor in the third quarter, Zabala's team increased the pressure defence, forcing Belarus into 13 more turnovers.
Yelena Leuchanka, one of the most dominating players in this year's EuroLeague Women with TTT Riga and later at UMMC Ekaterinburg, turned the ball over seven times.
There is no panic for Belarus, however.
They had to beat Italy in their final quarter-final qualifying round last year to advance to the final eight.
"They (Cuba) were a very balanced team," said star guard Natallia Marchanka, who made last year's all-tournament team at the EuroBasket Women.
"We let them get back at us. Also, we had too many turnovers.
"We're going to concentrate and come out hard and play hard against Chinese Taipei.
"I'll tell my teammates to keep their heads up and to be confident."
(BOCOG June 11, 2008)
