By Jeff Taylor

Italy narrowly missed out on a place at the FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic after a 60-56 defeat to Greece at last year's EuroBasket Women.

Giampiero Ticchi's Azzurre discovered on Saturday they will go up against Lithuania, Croatia, Belgium and the Netherlands in qualifying Group A for EuroBasket 2011 in Poland.

The top two sides from each of the four groups will advance to the Final Round in Poland.

The Italians will like their draw because Lithuania are in the only side in their pool to have competed at the EuroBasket Women last year.

While Croatia and Belgium were in Division A, the Netherlands complete the five-team group after winning promotion.

Latvia, hoping to make up for last year's disappointment when they hosted the EuroBasket Women and came in seventh, were drawn in Group B with Israel, Serbia and newly-promoted Romania.

The Latvians suffered a heartbreaking (69-64) Quarter-Final defeat to Russia at the EuroBasket and then, in a pivotal Classification Round game against the Italians, the Baltic side blew a 22-point lead and lost 68-66 to fall out of contention for a spot at the FIBA World Championship for Women.

In Group C are Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, and two newly-promoted sides - Finland and Montenegro - while in Group D are Slovakia, Ukraine, Germany and Great Britain.

The Hungarians will play under new coach Norbert Székely, the boss of EuroLeague Women outfit MKB Euroleasing Sopron.

The Slovakians, meanwhile, will be looking to build on last year when they were among the surprise teams in Riga.

They appeared poised for a top-five finish before suffering a 70-68 Quarter-Final defeat to Belarus.

Pokey Chatman's team then slipped up against Greece (64-59) in the Classification Round that ended their dreams of playing in the Czech Republic this year before falling to Latvia (67-59) to finish eighth.

The 10 national teams that do not qualify will participate in an Additional Qualification/Relegation Round.

The first six teams, according to the ranking, will play in two groups of three for one spot in the Final Round in Poland.

Four last-place teams will play in one group for two Relegation spots in Division B.

Group A: Italy, Lithuania, Croatia, Belgium, Netherlands

Group B: Latvia, Israel, Serbia, Romania

Group C: Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Montenegro

Group D: Slovakia, Ukraine, Germany, Great Britain