First things first. An explanation of today's call ups. Millar at SF: I brought him in hoping Gascoigne and Marshall would play more time at their expected positions. With Palit and McDonough not being fit that seemed expedient. I spent a long long time thinking about which big to call up. I actually told MacAusland's manager it wouldn't be him. However, of the bigs I considered, he had the skills I most wanted today, and if Marshall played more at PF, then Mac would possibly only be there as cover.
Tactics. Obviously I expected inside tactics, they're very strong inside. Predictions are always a risk, he's used II before too, so I could have been wrong, but I got lucky there. On offence, I initially thought about inside too, but I felt he would predict that, so I chose PTB. I didn't quite expect the way the shooting was spread but I feel it worked well enough.
The game had a strange ebb and flow to it. We were exchanging the lead regularly throughout the first quarter but we ended it well and had the lead. Belarus had a strong second quarter and deservedly had the lead by the half.
It looked like the third quarter might be the same, but the best period of the game for use came about midway through that quarter when we turned the game around with a 10-0 streak that put us in front.
Belarus kept playing well and when their D shut us down through the first half of the fourth things were looking bad. Certainly some Belarus fans were acting like they'd won but that seemed to fire up our boys and with typical English grit we fought hard late on to first regain the lead, then hold on to it under pressure at the end.
Another excellent team performance, worth particular note is the fact not one player committed more than one turnover. Sharpling again top scored. Esposto had 7 assists, and Sharpling 6. And Simpson's 13 rebs in a team total of 47 helped us to almost match their 51 rebs.
Again I want to emphasise how important game shape was today. Every manager who had a player on today's team deserves credit for the win. And of course my thanks.
In the other games, Italy bt Albania, Israel bt Germany, and Croatia bt Scotland. We're the only undefeated team left, and while that does sound good, I still don't think we can consider ourselves favourites to qualify.