You may also view the interview which has been web hosted by our colleagues at Basquetebol.org
Latvia leave it late in beating Japan There was no times for pleasantries as both sides went on the attack with fast breaks from the tip-off. Latvia like to run the ball to the basket while Japan prefer to set up the fast break for the shot from just inside the perimeter.
The result was both sides were level (11-11) after five minutes of play.
Latvia had to change tactics and moved the ball more quickly around the perimeter giving opportunities for Anete Jakobsen-Zogota (right)to hit from distance. She then put Latvia in front (18-17).
By the end of the first period Latvia just edged out Japan (20-19).Latvia found the solution for the Japanese defence during the second quarter. After consecutive treys by Ieva Tare and Jekabsone-Zogota they opened the first significant lead of the game (30-23).
Japan showed no signs of abdicating and still found openings for Yuko Aizawa and Ai Mitani to score. Yuko Oga was causing the Latvian players all kinds of problems with her tenacity and pace.
Anda Eibele picked up an unsportsmanlike foul at mid-court in trying to stop 0ga.
Both sides continued their cat and mouse game all over the court with Latvia always managing to hold onto the advantage (39-35).Latvia went into the interval leading (41-37).
Ryoko Yano (right) hit three shots from behind the arc as Japan attempted to unsettle Latvia.
Meanwhile Tare and Liene Jansone were doing the scoring for Latvia as they held on to the lead (52-48).
While all this was going on Gunta Basko was receiving treatment after slipping at the start of third period.
All tactics were thrown out of the window as both sides went out in attack. Latvia were forced by the Japanese pace to run the ball more often. This was a tactic that suited Jansone who was finishing off a number of fast breaks for Latvia (56-52).
Asami Yoshida who did not play in the first half of the game was using her pace to good effect as she set up shots for Yano and then scored herself with a reverse spin lay-up in between the taller Latvian players. Hence Japan edged in front (59-56).
Ali Mitani thought she had scored the last points of the quarter but she was mistaken as Jekosen-Zogoto showed that she had the pace and lift as she triple-jumped to the basket and scored on the buzzer. Japan went into the final period leading (61-58).
Both teams continued with their battle. It was the Latvian turn to play the Japanese system of fast breaks while Japan had switched to the Latvian style.
With seven minutes Latvia and Japan were level once more (64-64).
Basko had made her return in the game. Her first contribution was taking out two players on a drive to the baseline before feeding a ball out to Tare who then scored.
The two sides continued their combat with Latvia holding the advantage with the game entering money-time (75-69).Once again Tare settled her side with a trey from he top of the arc (78-69), her 20th point of the evening.
Latvia then negotiated the final minutes without forcing themselves. Tare (left)had the honour of finishing the game with the last 5 points (83-69).
Olympic qualifying tournament Box Score
Olympic qualifying tournament after match comments Liene Jansone from Latvia was surprised by the speed and the shooting of Japan and concluded that in the end they had to play smart to win.
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Yuko Oga , the point guard from Japan, explained that they played better for 39 minutes but lost out due to one poor minute and the shooting of Ieva Tare (No:13)
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Belarus stay in Olympic qualifying tournament We had to wait almost three minutes for the first points in the game when Nataliya Trafimava from Belarus hit a jumper from the top of the arc.
After almost four minutes of poor play Anatoli Buyalski decided to introduce Natalllia Marchanka (left) into the game. Her movement and passing was good but Belarus were not able to finish. In the end Feng-Chung Chang scored for China Taipei (2-2).
Olga Masilioene first hit a trey. Afterwards she followed this up with a jumper (7-2).
China Taipei rode their luck and started to attack. They were soon back in the game as Chang and Pei-Chen Tsia hit shots. Belarus' problems continued and they fell behind as Chi When (right) hit a trey (10-8).
Chang continued her first period festival as she scored her 8th and her team's 14th point to give her side a 4-point lead (14-10).
Belarus closed the gap by the end of the first quarter but allowed China Taipei to lead (14-13) after the first period.
Anastasiya Vermeyenka managed to force her way into the box and scored.
Belarus finally started to take control of the game but their opponents continued to trouble them with excellent shooting from the perimeter to keep the game close (26-23).
Belarus managed to stretch their advantage (29-23) due to the fact that their opponents were not able to shoot from close range. So Belarus went into the locker room with 6 points ahead of their opponent (33-27).Belarus' poor shooting continued. But their movement off the ball created openings for second-chance opportunities which they exploited and hence increased their lead (44-34).
However Belarus struggled but still went into the final quarter with a comfortably looking advantage (53-42).
Chi-Wen Lin started to win defensive rebounds as China Taipei's confidence grew.
Yet Belarus still had the lead (60-53) with five minutes left to play. But they had to work hard to hold onto their advantage during the closing minutes. If Chiang had not fouled out of the game China Taipei may have given Belarus a more difficult time down the stretch.
The Olympic dream of Ling Yao Hung is over for this year but her team went down fighting as Belarus went on to win (81- 65) in the winner take all Olympic qualifying tournament match.
Olympic qualifying tournament Box Score
Olympic qualifying tournament after match comments Yelena Leuchanka explained that it is big thing for Belarus to play for a chance to qualify for the Olympics. She went on to explain that they need to relax and play like they can and see what happens.
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Czech Republic are taking Olympic qualifying tournament seriously Hana Machova hit a trey with her very first shot of the match. She was to hit a second shot from the land of many as the team of the Czech Republic opened the proceeding (11-0) with the other points coming from Ivana Vecerova (Right in red).
Angola's first points came from Maria Afonso . Her side went on to score 5 more points as they kept their opponents scoreless for three minutes.
Machova ended the scoreless spell of the Czech Republic with her third three-pointer of the period. Petra Kulichova ended the Machova/Vecerova-point monopoly when she hit a jumper in the paint.
Angola were unable to get any offensive plays to work leaving the Czech Republic to score 8 unanswered points to lead (24-9) at the end of the first period.
Barbara Guimaras got Angola off to a brisk start in the second quarter as they started to run at their opponents.
Astrida Vincente added a couple of three-pointers. But the Czechs were not intimidated and hit back with a shot from the land of many by Markéta Mokrosova to maintain their lead (29-17).
Angola continued to hustle their opponents but were unable to reduce the deficit. The Czech Republic always found a solution when they required to score and increased their lead (36-23).
The Czech Republic went into the final quarter with a comfortable lead (59-40).
Angola never gave up but they could not find a solution. On the other hand the Czech side maintained their focus and discipline as they continued to increase their advantage (71-48).
Both teams played the game out in good spirit and also used the last minutes to play all the players that had not been involved much in the first round of matches.
The Czech Republic went on to win (86-54).
Olympic qualifying tournament Box Score
Olympic qualifying tournament after match comments Ivana Vecerova said that she was pleasantly surprised by the nice game of Angola and hoped that the spectators enjoyed the game.
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Raul Duart the head coach from Angola who speaks in French congratulates his players for what has been achieved so far. He then explains that the players need to learn how to play against players of the height of the Czech Republic and also improve the field score percentage.
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You can also watch and listen to Olympic qualifying tournament comments from Hana Machova here.
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Olympic qualifying tournament picture credit: MIGUEL BORDOY CANO for action pictures
Date: 11 June 2008
In a pulsating first period in which the lead changed on six occasions it was Spain that went ahead 24-23 with Amaya Valdemoro stamping her mark on the game with 10 points and 2 steals.
Spain went on the offensive and with their quick fast break transition the two sides were level (30-30) again. This forced Paulo Bassul, the Brazilian head coach, to call for a time-out.
After the interval Spain went back to their traditional starting five. However it was Castro Marques (left - 18 points) from Brazil that scored the first points of the quarter.
Palau (right) got the home fans on their feet as she hit a big three-pointer to bring Spain to within a single point of Brazil. However Brazil weathered the storm and kept cool from the free-throw line to move further ahead (57-52).
Claudia Das Neves who said that they played well and did what the trainer asked. She speaks in French.
Japan continued with their fast breaks and hustled Latvia in turnovers. So they went in front (17-13).
Ryoko Yano (right) hit three shots from behind the arc as Japan attempted to unsettle Latvia. 
Afterwards Basko was involved in a scramble at the other end where she finished on the floor but not before rolling the ball out to Jekobsen-Zogoto who then went on to score (68-64).
Liene Jansone from Latvia was surprised by the speed and the shooting of Japan and concluded that in the end they had to play smart to win.
Yuko Oga, the point guard from Japan, explained that they played better for 39 minutes but lost out due to one poor minute and the shooting of Ieva Tare (No:13)
Finally Belarus managed to hit a shot as Olga Masilioene first hit a trey. Afterwards she followed this up with a jumper (7-2).
The quality of play did not improve in the second quarter. Nothing happened offensively for Belarus in the first minutes until Anastasiya Vermeyenka managed to force her way into the box and scored.
Cheng who hit two three-pointers at the beginning of the last period put Belarus in difficulty. Chi-Wen Lin started to win defensive rebounds as China Taipei's confidence grew.
Yelena Leuchanka explained that it is big thing for Belarus to play for a chance to qualify for the Olympics. She went on to explain that they need to relax and play like they can and see what happens.
Hana Machova hit a trey with her very first shot of the match. She was to hit a second shot from the land of many as the team of the Czech Republic opened the proceeding (11-0) with the other points coming from Ivana Vecerova (Right in red).
Angola's perseverance paid off as Vincente nailed a base-line jumper from the land of many on the buzzer bringing the deficit down to a single digit by the end of the first half (30-38).All during the third period Angola ran their hearts out all but were unable to break down the Czech Republic's defence. They only managed to score 6 points during the first eight minutes as they fell further behind (55-36).
Raul Duart the head coach from Angola who speaks in French congratulates his players for what has been achieved so far. He then explains that the players need to learn how to play against players of the height of the Czech Republic and also improve the field score percentage. 
