Basketball: GB Women break into world top 20

Mollie Campbell (pictured) and team GB have broken into the world’s top-20 for the first time

Great Britain’s high-flying senior women – including Whitworth’s silver Commonwealth medallist Mollie Campbell – have broken new ground again.

After finishing fourth at this summer’s Women’s EuroBasket, the highest any senior GB side has recorded in the competition, Chema Buceta’s team have broken into the world’s top 20 for the first time.

Following their exploits in Latvia and Serbia, GB have jumped to 19th from 25th in the FIBA rankings and to 11th from 12th in Europe. Both are programme highs.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/128958/basketball-great-britain-make-history-by-finishing-fourth-in-eurobasket-tournament

BBF chairman Maurice Watkins said: “This is testament to the hard work, determination and skill of Chema and his team.

“The players put on a superb show in the summer and we are hoping to see the same again in the upcoming games. Congratulations everyone.”

Mollie and the rest of team GB face Poland (away) on 14 November and Belarus in Manchester on 17 November, before going into February’s qualification tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/131174/basketball-mollie-campbell-part-of-gb-women-squad-announced-for-poland-and-belarus-eurobasket-women-qualifiers

Mollie was the youngest player in England's basketball squad which won a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

• 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.