Ukraine have stepped up their preparations for this summer's EuroBasket 2009 qualifying games by playing their U20 squad in a couple of scrimmages during their first training camp. 

Volodymyr Briukhovetskiy's team prevailed 90-83 and 79-66.

Caroline Aubert three-balled her way into this summer's France squad after a terrific finish to the EuroLeague Women campaign with UMMC Ekaterinburg. 

Now the high-scoring guard has decided to withdraw to focus on something else instead of playing for Les Bleues in their EuroBasket 2009 qualifying games.

Mariachiara Franchini felt pangs of regret this past week when the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women was staged in Madrid.

That's because Italy wasn't just one or two European sides that joined Russia by clinching spots for the Beijing Games.

Rising star Romy Bär of TV Saarlouis was on Thursday named in Germamy coach Imre Szittya's 19-member preliminary squad for this summer's EuroBasket Women qualifying games.

Bär, a 1.87m forward, averaged 10.5 points per game last year as Germany finished eighth at the U20 European Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Italy were sky high while hosting last year's EuroBasket Women in Chieti but there's not much evidence of the feel-good factor with the Azzurre nine months later.

New women's national team coach Giampero Ticchi spoke to the media on Tuesday for the first time since his recent appointment. So far, he has not been getting positive vibes from most of the players who were in the national team set-up last summer.